New exhibition in Walsall marks Black History Month
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A new exhibition celebrating the invaluable contributions of African Caribbean women from the Windrush Generation is taking place in Walsall as part of Black History Month from 1 to 31 October 2025.
The exhibition is free and is hosted by Walsall Black Sisters Collective and supported by Walsall Council and over 20 community partners. It will officially open on Thursday 9 October 2025, 9am- 6pm at the Lichfield Street Hub library, with the display running throughout the month.
This year’s theme for Black History Month UK is “Standing Firm in Power and Pride” and this exhibition honours the heritage and contributions of Black women who helped shape different communities in Walsall. The exhibition is part of a wider project with the aim of creating a lasting digital and physical archive, preserving a vital part of the borough's history.
“ These stories will form part of a growing digital and physical archive that will help preserve and share this vital part of Walsall’s history. It’s an opportunity to meet some of the Black women who have become positive role models from their own communities and learn about their contributions to the borough’s social, cultural, and political life “
Glenis Williams, Project Lead from the Walsall Windrush Sisters Collective, said, "We are proud to bring together stories about our Black sisters’ struggles, lives, and achievements which have been overlooked in the local record until now.
“This project gives them a platform to finally tell their own stories, in their own voices. In addition, we’ll be training local people to become oral historians, researchers, and heritage champions. This will also help us reach a wide range of people elders, young people, schools, families, ensuring the stories we collect are inclusive, far-reaching, and have a lasting impact."
Exhibition highlights
- Oral history training: volunteers will be trained to become oral historians, learning to research, record, and archive interviews professionally.
- Traveling exhibitions: the project will create visual and audio exhibitions with historical photos and digital archives that can be loaned to schools and community groups.
- Community research: the Walsall Black Sisters Collective will explore existing council and museum archives to find documents, clippings, and photos to support the oral histories.
- Key interview groups: these interviews will focus on four main groups including founding members of the Walsall Black Sisters Collective, Women of the Windrush Generation, Stakeholders and allies who supported the Black community and early community members who received support from the Collective.
For more information about the Lichfield Street Hub (Walsall Central Library and Archives), visit Lichfield Street, Walsall, WS1 1TR, email: LSHlibrary@walsall.gov.uk and call 01922 653121
Ends
Notes to Editors
The Walsall Black Sisters Collective is a registered charity which was established in July 1986 by a group of young Black women. In the early years the group worked to highlight specific discriminations experienced by Black Women. The Collective grew and its aims and objectives became specific around education, training, welfare, self-help and child provision.
Visit: https://walsallbsc.co.uk
