Coventry’s Caribbean history is being explored in a new exhibition at St Mary’s Guildhall

In a scheme to discover and celebrate the history of the Caribbean community in Coventry, three young researchers have dedicated the last six months to delving into different aspects of cultural heritage.

The results of their efforts will be on display at one of the city’s oldest institutions, St Mary’s Guildhall, until June 29.

The Coventry Caribbean Community History Project (CCCHP) is supported by St Mary’s Guildhall’s Community Engagement Programme.

The project aims to highlight the historical significance of Coventry’s Caribbean community throughout the 20th century.

Launched by the ArawaK Community Trust to mark the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Windrush, the CCCHP also aims to equip young black people in Coventry with research and curation skills to document and preserve their community’s history .

Iqra Abdi, Akasha Daley and Jade McFarlane focused on three key areas of the Caribbean experience in Coventry.

Abdi explored the history of the Osaba Women’s Centre, Daley examined the struggle against educational marginalization in post-Windrush Coventry and McFarlane researched the experiences of Rastafari women in the city.

In addition to their research, they were invited to visit the De Montfort University Special Collections archive and the Stephen Lawrence Research Center.

These visits gave them valuable insights into the importance of archives in reflecting and preserving black history.

The exhibition will also make an appearance at the Caribbean Reggae Fever event at War Memorial Park from 20 to 21 July, giving a wider audience the opportunity to engage with Coventry’s Caribbean heritage.

Holly Cooper, project co-ordinator and PhD student in history at the University of Oxford, said: “I’m so proud of Iqra, Akasha and Jade for all their work and commitment over the last six months; undertaking meaningful community-based historical recovery is not easy.

“The history of the Caribbean community in Coventry is one of resilience, strength and unity. A story we can all learn so much from.”

Niamh Carton, community engagement manager at St Mary’s Guildhall, which is operated by No Ordinary Hospitality, said: “This has been really important and rewarding work to be involved in and represents what our community programs are all about – helping more people. gets involved in their history.

“Holly and the team were absolutely brilliant to work with and we are delighted to be sharing their work with members of the public as part of a three-week exhibition before it heads to War Memorial Park.”