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The social vocabulary of Hidden Presence: British History and the need to talk through the silence and acknowledge true stories of African presence

Sobers, Shawn

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Authors

Shawn Sobers Shawn.Sobers@uwe.ac.uk
Professor of Cultural Interdisciplinary Practice



Abstract

When British spaces, rural and otherwise, are full of celebrated and re-told myths and legends – from sites such as Stonehenge through to character based fables such as Robin Hood – why do some resist to allow true stories, which are no less fantastical than the fictions, to also have a space at the story table?

Explored from the perspective of a filmmaker not a historian, this paper argues that the notion of story is an important one to consider, and that telling the truthful stories, even when uncomfortable to our status quo idea of national histories, is the healthier position to take. The paper touches on some of the projects I have been involved with which have addressed the subject of the legacy of the slave trade and Black presence, as well as anecdotes and observation. I try to make the case that enlarging our sense of our connected histories can enlarge our worldviews, and the social vocabulary of how we articulate and position ourselves in relation to others.

Citation

Sobers, S. (2013, October). The social vocabulary of Hidden Presence: British History and the need to talk through the silence and acknowledge true stories of African presence

Presentation Conference Type Conference Paper (unpublished)
Conference Location University of Nottingham
Start Date Oct 15, 2013
End Date Oct 15, 2013
Publication Date Oct 15, 2013
Publicly Available Date Jun 7, 2019
Peer Reviewed Not Peer Reviewed
Keywords hidden presence, black presence in Britain, slavery, transatlantic slave trade, Nathaniel Wells, Sarah Forbes Bonetta, Leonora Casey Carr, African disapora, social vocabulary, British history, myths, feelings, facts, Chepstow, East Tytherton
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/926902
Additional Information Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : Historicising & Re-connecting Communities: Black Presences and the Legacies of Slavery and Colonialism in Rural Britain

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