22 June 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks in Essex. The ship brought to Britain just over 800 passengers who had left the West Indies, the great majority of whom sought to settle and begin new lives in the UK.
The Windrush anniversary is being widely marked in 2023 with events, exhibitions, broadcasts and the Windrush 75 digital network which is recording national events.
Many of these events will consider the histories of the Caribbean, the voyage, the Windrush generations, post-war migration and British multi-culturalism in the later 20th and 21st century.
To capture some of these activities (large and small, national and community-focused), the Royal Historical Society is creating an online listing of anniversary events with a historical dimension.
We now invite you to send us details of events and activities you’re planning, taking part in, or know about. We’ll list and share them regularly to provide an online space for people interested in celebrating the 75th anniversary through history.
You can submit details of events via the form, here.
We welcome details of a range of events and activities (in-person and online), with a history focus. These might include:
- academic events, such as lectures, conferences or seminars
- exhibitions on the history of Windrush
- broadcasts, including podcast episodes or series
- blogs on the history of Windrush
- public and community history projects
- social media channels and hashtags
- history festivals relating to Windrush and its legacies
- short courses, workshops and training in the history of Windrush
In addition, we welcome your recommendations for further reading (books, academic articles and historical fiction) about the history of the Windrush voyage, Windrush generations, and ethnic diversity in post-war and later 20th-century Britain.
This section of the listing will help those new to this subject learn more in this anniversary year.
We look forward to receiving your proposals, for events and reading, and we’ll then collate and communicate an ongoing listing through 2023.
HEADER AND TEXT IMAGES: Windrush mural, St Paul’s, Bristol, UK, public domain.