Historicising and reconnecting rural community: black presences and the legacies of slavery and colonialism in rural Britain, c.1600-1939

英国乡村别墅的传统形象是奢华和华丽的，是更广泛的乡村田园诗的一部分，是英国身份和乡村社区理念的核心。该项目旨在通过审查各种来源和学科的证据，包括关于黑人生活及其融入农村社会的证据，来揭开这些公约的面纱，这些证据表明奴隶制和殖民主义对英国农村的历史影响。它还试图审查围绕这类历史的制作和接受的社会动态，并开发更多与这些历史接触的机会。集体身份概念，表现为社区，是农村和黑人群体的重要框架。然而，由于呼吁社区可以被用来将人们分开和联系起来，这个项目的目的是了解这个词在历史和当代背景下是如何使用的，以及它的使用的物质影响。人们对英国农村的这些历史存在、联系和遗产的了解参差不齐，尤其是该国东部的遗址被忽视了。该项目主要有三个要素。首先回顾学术、机构和第三部门的文献：a)黑人和少数民族存在的历史以及公元1600-1939年英国农村的奴隶制和殖民主义；以及b)最近的公共遗产倡议。第二，扩大档案范围，建立一个关于东米德兰兹郡和东安格利亚农村地区黑人和少数民族的存在以及奴隶制和殖民主义历史(公元1600-1939年)的汇总数据库，以确定这些地区目前所有相关的公共遗产工作。第三，举办了一系列四期讲习班，将学者、遗产和博物馆专业人员、地方当局遗产/宣传官员、“社区”团体代表和更广泛的公众聚集在一起，交流信息并思考围绕公开展示这类历史的问题。这将涉及重新定位传统上强大的群体的挑战，包括那些历史上提供了截然不同的慈善和奴役叙事的群体，以及以可实际融入遗产遗址的方式展示次要故事。一个由学术界、机构和第三部门代表组成的咨询小组将在整个项目期间提供专家意见。这些活动将使学者、遗产组织和不同公众之间就英国农村奴隶制和殖民主义的历史和遗产建立更具反思性和背景的合作关系。

The conventional image of the English country house is one of luxury and splendour and forms part of a wider rural idyll central to ideas of British identity and rural community. This project aims to unpack such conventions by reviewing evidence from a range of sources and disciplines of the historical impacts of slavery and colonialism on the British countryside, including evidence on black lives and their integration into rural society. It also seeks to examine the social dynamics surrounding the production and reception of such histories and to develop further opportunities for engagement with them. Collective notions of identity, expressed as community, are important frames for both rural and black groups. However, as appeals to community can be used to separate as well as connect people this project aims to understand how the term is used in historical and contemporary contexts and the material effects of its deployment. Knowledge of these historical presences, connections and legacies in rural Britain is patchy, and sites in the eastern part of the country have been especially neglected.There are three main elements to the project. Firstly a review of academic, agency and third sector literature on: a) histories both of black and ethnic minority presences and of slavery and colonialism in rural Britain, c.1600-1939; and b) recent public heritage initiatives. Secondly archival scoping to create a summary database of collections relating to black and ethnic minority presence and the histories of slavery and colonialism in the rural East Midlands and East Anglia, c.1600-1939, identifying any related public heritage work in these regions today. Thirdly a series of four workshops to bring together academics, heritage and museum professionals, local authority heritage/outreach officials, 'community' group representatives and wider publics to exchange information and reflect on the issues surrounding the public representation of such histories. This would involve the challenges of repositioning conventionally powerful groups, including those whose histories offer contrasting philanthropic and enslavement narratives, as well as the presentation of subaltern stories in ways which can be integrated into heritage sites in a practical way. An advisory group comprised of academic, agency and third sector representatives will provide expert advice throughout the duration of the project. These activities will enable more reflective and contextualised collaborative relationships between academics, heritage organisations and diverse publics over histories and legacies of slavery and colonialism in rural Britain.