Visit These Historic Black Sites

If there is one thing England loves, it’s monuments! In fact, there are around 1,500 monuments in London alone! With the commitment of the Nubian Jak Community Trust to push for more recognition of Black contribution to British culture, quite a few of these monuments have roots in Black history, or honor Black people from Britain and across the globe. Here are some of the most interesting monuments to visit!

Cleopatra’s Needle

Cleopatra’s Needle was given to Britain in 1878, but the ancient Egyptian obelisk was actually made under the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III, standing tall over what we know today as Cairo. Over 3500 years old, Cleopatra’s Needle was in fact created more than a millennium before Cleopatra’s time. The North African obelisk isn’t something you would expect to stumble across on a stroll by the River Thames Embankment, and is definitely worth adding to your sightseeing list as one of the oldest remnants of African history.

Dido Belle & Kenwood House

Long before Meghan Markle married into the Royal Family, there was another Black woman who lived and thrived as a member of the British Elite: Dido Belle. Belle was the bi-racial daughter of a British Naval Officer, who was raised by her great-uncle inside the sprawling estate known as Kenwood House. You may have heard of her because of the 2013 movie Belle, which chronicled her life as an aristocrat; but she is best known from the 1770s painting of her in the Kenwood Gardens. It is the only known image of Belle, and it shows her, with her white cousin, the two touching and treated as equals. That is something that was extremely unconventional at that time. Belle’s great-uncle William Murray, who owned the estate, was a Judge and the Lord Chief Justice of the UK. It is believed that his relationship with Belle influenced some of the cases about slavery that he presided over. Visit Kenwood House and retrace the steps of this groundbreaking woman.

Nelson Mandela Statue

Across London, you will find many streets named after freedom fighter and anti-apartheid legend, Nelson Mandela. There aren’t actually any commemorations to him on these roads; however, if you head to Parliament Square, you will find a 9-foot bronze statue of Mandela. Mandela was involved in the process of its design prior to sculpting, and insisted that he was displayed with open arms and lower to the ground than the other statues in the square, so that the public could interact with the statue. He attended its unveiling in 2007, six years before his passing.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey seems like an unusual place to recommend to uncover London’s best Black monuments, but if you stand below the West gate of the Abbey and look up at the alcoves, you will see statues of nine modern-day martyrs, commissioned by the Queen herself in 1998. Four of these martyrs are Black—South African Manche Masemola, Ugandan Priest Janani Lawum, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a Priest named Lucian Tapiedi from Papa New Guinea. Sadly, the statues fail to show obviously as being Black; nevertheless, this a significant addition to such a famously used and referenced religious place in British history. 

The Battle of Lewisham Mural

In 1977, members of the National Front and some four thousand counter-protestors did not know that their clash would go down in British history as The Battle of Lewisham. It was the first time that the National Front, a racist and fascist “political” party, was blocked from marching. In 2019, a mural was revealed on Lewisham Way, to preserve the memory of the events here, and serve as a reminder that unity can overcome racism and xenophobia. 

African and Caribbean War Memorial

It is often forgotten just how many soldiers of African and Caribbean descent fought, and lost their lives, in the First and Second World Wars. Found in Windrush Square, the African and Caribbean War Memorial honors those service people who contributed to the war efforts. It was the Nubian Jak Community Trust that sought for the memorial to be erected, in the absence of any specifically dedicated memorial to African and Caribbean men and women who served alongside British Forces. 

Alexandra Palace Murals

Not many people know this, but Alexandra Palace in North London has given its South Terrace to London street artist, Carlene De Sozer, who has created three large paintings of Black women who helped to shape the entertainment industry in Britain: Una Marson, Evelyn Dove and Winifred Atwell. There are not many monuments in London which honor Black women, and, coupled with spectacular views of London from the Palace’s elevated standing, it should not be missed!

Olaudah Equiano Plaque

Olaudah Equiano is one of the few Black historical figures commemorated several times across the city. Born in Nigeria in 1745 and sold into slavery in America, Equiano found himself in England many years later. He was able to trade quietly, and earn enough money to purchase his own freedom. He became a vocal member of the “Sons of Africa” abolitionist group, and used his own experiences as a slave to write an autobiography which was a crucial document in the abolition of slavery. One of the plaques dedicated to him can be found at his home on Riding House Street. 

Mary Seacole Statue

Mary Seacole is one of the most significant women in British history, but has often been overshadowed by the legacy of her white counterpart, Florence Nightingale. A nurse in the Crimean War, Jamaican-born Mary Seacole, also known as “Mother Seacole” by soldiers, became honored posthumously for her medical care and compassion towards the troops. The beautifully poignant statue can be found in the gardens on the riverside of St. Thomas’ Hospital.