October 19th 2024.
As I reflect on my life, I have come to realize that the path I am on was actually planted by my uncle, Len Garrison, when I was just a young child. I remember visiting him in Nottingham with my family, and telling him about my love for books. He then took me to his garage, which was filled with boxes and boxes of books unlike anything I had ever seen in a bookshop. These books were by Rastafarians and focused on Jamaican history and culture. I was immediately drawn in by their uniqueness and felt a sense of gratitude to be able to see them, even though they were hidden away in a garage rather than on display in a library.
From that moment on, my life's path was clear. I now run a publishing division that I named after my bookshop in Berlin, and I am also the Chair of the Black Cultural Archives, an organization that my uncle founded. The BCA's mission is to collect, preserve, and celebrate the histories of people of African and Caribbean descent in the UK, and to inspire and empower individuals, communities, and society. And I am proud to say that my uncle's legacy and inspiration can be seen in everything I do.
Len Garrison has always been a huge inspiration to me. His passion for telling stories about people in order to gain a better understanding of the world is something that I strive for in my work, and it is all thanks to him. He was a pioneer in documenting Black British history and making sure that the experiences and brilliance of Black British people were not lost.
My uncle was born in 1943 in St. Thomas, Jamaica, and he was what we call a "barrel child". His parents, my grandparents, moved to the UK to start a new life, and my uncle stayed in Jamaica with his grandparents for a few years. When he finally joined his parents in the UK in 1954, he was old enough to notice the difference in how Black people were treated compared to Jamaica. He also understood the sacrifices his parents had made, not just leaving behind the sun and the sea, but also the nourishment and equality that Jamaica provided.
As a naturally curious person, my uncle arrived in the UK with a question in mind: "Why are we only learning about Henry VIII in school?" His world suddenly became much narrower, and he made it his life's mission to ensure that our culture was not lost. He was always engaged with the Black British community and had a deep interest in Pan-Africanism and understanding our roots and culture outside of the influence of empire and colonialism.
Despite studying photography and working as a specialist medical photographer, my uncle always found ways to incorporate his activism and passion for Black culture. He even took to the streets with his camera to document important events. He continued his education by obtaining a diploma in development studies from Oxford University, where he wrote his dissertation on Rastafarianism, and then studying African and Caribbean History at Sussex University and local history at Leicester University.
He saw how Britain was failing its Rastafarian population and Black children, as there was no space for Black history or culture in the education system. So he took matters into his own hands and founded the Afro-Caribbean Educational Resource. Through this organization, he created a Penmanship award for creative writing and advocated for Black children to learn about their history and for all children to know the history of the country they were growing up in.
During this time, the Black Cultural Archives began to form organically. My uncle and his ACER team would pick up artefacts along the way, and soon enough, he had amassed a vast amount of material. He realized the need for an archive and thus, the BCA was born. But it was after the Brixton Riots in 1981, when it became evident that something was happening to our people, that the BCA truly took shape.
I remember visiting the BCA's first building in Elephant & Castle when I was around 12 years old. I was amazed to see so many Black adults in the room, and it wasn't a party. It was a formal setting where art, culture, and history were being discussed. I was proud to know that my uncle was the one who made it all possible.
As I continue on my path, I am grateful to have had my uncle as a guide and mentor. His dedication to preserving and celebrating Black British history and culture will always inspire me, and I am proud to carry on his legacy through my work with the Black Cultural Archives. This Black History Month, I encourage everyone to take the time to learn about and celebrate the rich and diverse histories and cultures of Black people around the world.
I believe that our paths in life are often influenced by the people we encounter along the way. For me, one person who had a profound impact on my journey was my uncle, Len Garrison.
I still remember the day when my family and I visited him in Nottingham. I was just nine years old and had already developed a love for books. When I shared this with my uncle, he took me to his garage which was filled with boxes and boxes of books. These were not your typical books that you could find in a store. They were written by Rastafarians and focused on Jamaican history and culture. As I looked around in awe, I realized that these books were not easily accessible to everyone. They were hidden away in a garage instead of being displayed in a library. I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for being able to see them, but also a sense of injustice that these books were not available to everyone.
From that moment on, I knew that my life's path was set. I followed in my uncle's footsteps and now I run a publishing division named after my bookshop in Berlin. I am also the Chair of the Black Cultural Archives, an organization that my uncle founded with a mission to collect, preserve, and celebrate the histories of people of African and Caribbean descent in the UK. My uncle has always been a huge inspiration to me and everything I do is centered around telling stories about people in order to gain a better understanding of the world.
Len Garrison, my uncle, was a pioneer in cultivating Black British history and making it accessible to all. He dedicated his life to documenting and preserving the experiences and brilliance of Black British people in British culture. His influence can be seen in everything I create, as I carry his legacy forward.
Born in 1943 in St Thomas, Jamaica, Len was what we call a 'barrel child'. His parents moved to the UK for a better life and Len stayed behind with his grandparents for a few years before joining them in 1954. He immediately noticed the difference in how Black people were treated in Britain compared to Jamaica. He understood the sacrifices his parents had made and was curious about why the education system in Britain only focused on certain parts of history. His passion for preserving our culture and history only grew stronger.
As an activist, Len was always engaged with the Black British community. He was fascinated by Pan-Africanism and the importance of understanding our roots and culture outside of empire and colonialism. His academic pursuits in photography, development studies, and history all revolved around this passion. He also used his skills in photography to document the Black community's struggles and achievements, taking to the streets with his camera.
Len founded the Afro-Caribbean Educational Resource (ACER), which aimed to educate and empower Black children by providing them with educational materials and a platform to explore and understand their history and culture. He also played a crucial role in the formation of the Black Cultural Archives (BCA) after the Brixton Riots in 1981. This organization was a response to the urgent need to preserve and celebrate Black British history and culture.
I still remember the first time I visited the BCA when I was around 12 years old. I was amazed to see so many Black adults in a formal setting, discussing art, culture, and history. It was a proud moment for me to know that my uncle was the one who had made it all possible.
As we celebrate Black History Month, I am reminded of the impact that my uncle Len Garrison has had on my life and the lives of many others. He has left a lasting legacy that continues to inspire and empower us to this day. I am grateful to have been a small part of his journey and will continue to honor his memory by carrying on his work.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
