Caribbean Takeover

Programme times and location

Click on an activity to learn more, or scroll down to explore everything that's happening.

Film screenings, talks and performances

Rolling screening with London School of Economics: 'The entangled histories of the Caribbean and Britain'

This film explores the deep and often overlooked ties between Britain and the Anglophone Caribbean - and how centuries of empire, slavery, systemic racism, and neglect laid the foundations for the racial inequalities we see in Britain today.

11am-4pm | Voyagers Gallery at the National Maritime Museum

Screening of Jacqueline Bishop interview about The Keeper of All The Secrets artwork

11am- 5pm | Queen's House

Learn more about Jacqueline Bishop's piece The Keeper of All The Secrets, which reworks a traditional British tea service, using collages of Caribbean market women and botanicals to explore women’s agency and the legacies of empire and enslavement.

The Enduring socio-economic impact of East Indian and Chinese indentured labourers by Kyunga Gordon-Walker

11.30am-12.15pm | Lecture Theatre at the National Maritime Museum

This talk will discuss the enduring socio-economic impact of East Indian and Chinese indentured labour on the Caribbean post the emancipation of enslavement in 1833. It will explore the reasons for indentureship, the lasting impact on the social structure of the population, and how the contributions of East Indians and Chinese to the economic fabric of Caribbean society impacted the existing African and indigenous population.

Spaces of Community and Resistance: The Legacy of Amy Ashwood Garvey by Nydia Swaby

1pm-1.45pm | Lecture Theatre at the National Maritime Museum

This talk explores the life and legacy of Jamaican Pan-African feminist Amy Ashwood Garvey (1897–1969), whose activism and cultural work spanned the Caribbean, the United States, West Africa, and Britain. From co-founding the Universal Negro Improvement Association in Jamaica to establishing the Afro-Women’s Centre in London, Ashwood Garvey insisted that Black women’s voices, labour, and creativity were central to Pan-African freedom struggles. Drawing on her dispersed archive of photographs, letters and speeches, this presentation reflects on her commitment to women’s organising and to creating spaces of community and resistance.

Meet Margaret Sullivan: The Hastings Black Flower Seller by Claudine Eccleston

2pm-2.45pm | Lecture Theatre at the National Maritime Museum

Why the History of Slavery Matters by Matthew Smith

3pm-3.45pm | Lecture Theatre at the National Maritime Museum

The history of slavery is essential to understanding the modern world. It influenced economies, societies and identities, and its legacies continue to shape our present. Engaging with this history allows us to confront inequality and work toward a more just future.

Misogynoir and the History of The Image of the African Woman in Western European Art by Michael Ohajuru

11.30am-12.15pm | Great Hall of the Queen's House

An illustrated presentation on how the image of the Black African woman was eliminated in Western European art and her journey back to the centre stage. 

400 Years of Black Lives in London by S.I. Martin

1pm-1.45pm | Great Hall of the Queen's House

Join author S.I. Martin for a compelling presentation exploring the experiences of young Black boys and girls in London over the past 400 years. This session will delve into history, challenges, achievements, and the enduring contributions of Black youth to the city’s social and cultural fabric.

Pegasus Opera

3.15pm-3.45pm | Ocean Map at the National Maritime Museum

Closing ceremony

4-4.30pm | Ocean Map at the National Maritime Museum

Join us on the Ocean Map as we close the day with a special ceremony.