#blacklivesmatter
The Museum of British Colonialism is an anti-racist organisation. We recognise history, commemoration and memorialisation as political projects. We reject the triumphalist narrative of the British Empire. We reject the obliteration of black and brown history. We reject the structural and civic racism at the heart of Britain’s political project, and in the DNA of many other supposedly liberal nations, including the USA. We condemn all forms of police brutality and state violence. We recognise the inextricable relation between state violence today and the colonial violence of the past.
As an organisation, we aim to confront centuries of structural and institutional racism through research, education, discussion and engagement. We promote awareness and understanding of this history to better appreciate the structures of racism that define our past and our present. And we demand and promote change peacefully. But, as an organisation, we also recognise that when the white community fails to listen, and when power will not concede power, violence may flare as a final recourse. We believe that constructing a society in which this is the only way in which some people feel that can be heard or bring change is, in itself, an act of violence perpetrated by white supremacy.
We stand in solidarity with all those protesting in the name of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Mike Brown, Tamir Rice, Jordan Davis, Alton Sterling, Christian Cooper, Philando Castile, Amadou Diallo, Walter Scott, Oscar Grant, Aiyana Jones, Marquise Jones, and more. And as we remember those killed by state violence and structural racism in the US, so too do we remember Mark Duggan, Jimmy Mubenga, Christopher Alder, Joy Gardner, Rashan Charles, Sean Rigg, Sarah Reed and the many hundreds of others killed by state violence and structural racism in the UK. We remember Yassin Moyo, Khamisi Juma, Calvince Omondi, John Muliro, Peter Gacheru, Eric Ngethe, Idris Mukolwe, Ramadhau Juma, Ibrahim Onyango, and the many more killed by state violence Kenya, itself a legacy of colonial violence.
In solidarity with those who protest, we work to remember and restore the narratives of many others who have been forced to protest violently against oppression, who have been labelled terrorists, who have fought for their freedom. We remember the many thousands who have died in this struggle and stand with all those who still suffer today.
In solidarity with all our allies in the anti-racist movement, we demand justice, we demand equality, we demand the recognition that #blacklivesmatter.
If you have the means, please consider donating to these organisations. We will add more learning resources to our site in the coming days, so please continue to check in. Antiracist work is a lifelong commitment that cannot end with a single donation.
List of Kenyan organisations fighting police brutality: https://bit.ly/2XUAArv
Black Lives Matter UK Fund: https://bit.ly/2U3J12C
United States Split Bail Fund: https://bit.ly/2XW4MTd