Lancaster UK Remembers Role in Transatlantic Slave Trade: STAMP Memorial 10 October 2005

Native American Day is this week, which some still call "Columbus Day." Actually the Italian chap to whom they refer was Cristoforo Colombo, and his "adventures" were financed by Spain. Hmmm... all this sounds a lot like 'globalisation' - including the centuries' long kidnap and deportation of millions & millions - and more millions - of Africans. So, thank you to everyone involved in tomorrow's historic dedication of Lancaster UK's memorial to the African-descendant victims of the Transatlantic slave trade. The ceremony takes place tomorrow, Monday, at quayside in Lancaster near the Millenium Bridge. See the official press release, below. The contact is Dr. Alan J. Rice, who is Reader in American Cultural Studies at the University of Central Lancashire (UK), and author of Radical Narratives of the Black Atlantic, published 2003 by Continuum. Black American former exile Preston King will be guest of honour. King is an "internationally acclaimed African American scholar and Civil Rights activist. In 1961 Mr. King was a very young man who "refused to be drafted for military service ... when a white Southern officer addressed him as "boy" and subsequently his [U.S.] passport was confiscated. It was not returned until 1999 after a long-running international campaign led to a Presidential pardon from Bill Clinton." That's just a gist of the irony. Bill Clinton was about the same age as Preston King, although unlike King, Clinton was (mostly) not Black. And of course Bill was allowed by U.S. authorities to leave the U.S. and go off to the UK to study at Oxford. The rest is history, as they say.

Official press release: "STAMP, the Slave Trade Arts Memorial Project, is proud to announce the official unveiling and dedication of 'CAPTURED AFRICANS' a memorial for the victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade on the quayside in Lancaster, close to the Millennium Bridge.

The memorial was conceived and developed by Manchester-based artist Kevin Dalton-Johnson as the culmination of an extensive education outreach programme involving over 300 children around the district working with ten supporting artists.  Its realisation was made possible with Millennium Commission Lottery funding.

The ceremony takes place on Columbus Day, 10th October 2005 at 5pm. The Right Worshipful Mayor of Lancaster, Councillor Joyce Taylor will welcome guests and our guest of honour African American Professor Preston King.

The ceremony should be lively and interesting. Professor King's dedication of the memorial will be followed by the launching of a willow boat of offerings of atonement and remembrance into the River Lune. This formal ceremony will close with a drumming performance by young people involved with the project.

Earlier this year, in Bristol, a resident asked where in that City he could pour his libation and honour his ancestors. Unlike other places that have shied away from moments of history that they are least proud of, Lancaster now has a sensitive marker to the loss of life and liberty of so many African people. Kevin Dalton-Johnson's 'CAPTURED AFRICANS' offers a place to pause and think, a place for quiet reflection on the human cost of this history.

STAMP are grateful to the Millennium Commission, Arts Council North West, Lancaster City Council and Lancashire County Council for funding the project and the American Embassy for enabling us to invite and welcome Professor Preston King to join this ground breaking event.   [End] (Editor's notes included below.)

Editor's Notes for STAMP slavery memorial dedication in Lancaster UK:

*       For further details contact Pete Courtie, Arts Development
Officer Lancaster City Council on 01524  582805, Sue Ashworth Project
Manager Lancashire County Museum Service on 01772 534064 or Academic
Consultant to the project, Dr. Alan Rice, University of Central
Lancashire, 01772 893024.  Or visit Lancaster Maritime Museum, St
George's Quay, Lancaster, LA1 1RB tel 01524 382264 to view the STAMP
exhibition Open daily 11-5pm until 31 Oct and 12.30-4pm from 1 Nov.

*       Photo and interview opportunities with the artist – Kevin
Dalton-Johnson by arrangement

*       Guest of Honour – Professor Preston King – Internationally
acclaimed African American Scholar and Civil Rights activist. King
refused to be drafted for military service in 1961 when a white Southern
officer addressed him as "boy" and subsequently his passport was
confiscated.  It was not returned until 1999 after a long-running
international campaign led to a Presidential pardon from Bill Clinton.
He spent part of his exile as an academic at Lancaster University and we
are particularly happy to have him return as our special guest funded by
the American Embassy.

*       Background information about STAMP - STAMP was inaugurated in
September 2002 by a group of people who felt it important for Lancaster
to acknowledge its involvement in the 18th century Transatlantic Slave
Trade.  The steering group had representatives from Lancashire County
Museum Service, Lancaster City Council Arts & Events, Lancashire County
Council's Teachers' Advisory Service, University of Central
Lancashire, Global Link and LitFest.

STAMP was launched in November 2003 at Lancaster's LitFest with
Dorothea Smartt's reading of poems commissioned on the theme of
Sambo's Grave at Sunderland Point.

Funding for the project was secured from the Millennium Commission,
Arts Council North West, Lancaster City Council and Lancashire County
Council.

*       Kevin Dalton-Johnson is a well-known artist in Manchester, whose
family originally came from Jamaica.  An enthusiastic and committed
artist and teacher, Dalton-Johnson has worked on a number of community
projects with a diverse range of people, creating and exhibiting work in
various venues.  Much of his own work focuses on issues of racism,
sexuality and religion.  Dalton-Johnson's work has been seen at The
Lowry in Salford, the Green Room, the Contact Theatre, the Royal
Exchange and Urbis in Manchester and at schools, colleges and
universities in England and Pennsylvania USA.  Dalton-Johnson is an
active member of Black Arts Alliance, with whom he has delivered
community projects.  He continues to network and perform with other
black artists nation wide.

Artists and outreach – STAMP – Lead Artist SuAndi OBE has been a
performance poet since 1985. She is Cultural Director of the Black Arts
Alliance in Manchester. SuAndi led the team of artists, representing
the cultural diversity of Britain today:- Sue Flowers, Max Alder, Tony
Watts, Evandey (Abasindi Drummers), Anita Franklin, Faith Bebbington,
Steve Papaye Richards, Janet Griffiths and Ann Mardle.

Dr. Alan J. Rice
Reader in American Cultural Studies
Dept. of Humanities
Fylde 429
University of Central Lancashire
Preston
PR1 2HE
[email protected]
direct line 01772 893024
department 01772 893020
fax 01772 892924
New book now out: Radical Narratives of the Black Atlantic (Continuum, 2003)

Comments

[F. Btten]

Just to let everyone know (at least I am trying to!) that Sambo's Grave is actually called Samboo's Grave, as Alan Rice will know already. Locally the name has changed to Sambo's Grave but that is an interesting diversion. Since Samboo is not Sambo, could it be his real name? Any information please.