EXHIBITION Digging Deep: Coal Miners of African Caribbean Heritage

Mon, Sep 30, 2019, 11:00 AM – Sat, Jan 4, 2020, 5:00 PM

Nottingham News Centre CIC, in collaboration with the National Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield UK welcomes the first ever exhibition in the UK to focus on migrants’ contribution to the mining industry with the opening of Digging Deep: Miners of African Caribbean Heritage at the Museum on 21 September 2019 until January 2020. The brand-new exhibition, which is the result of over six years research by historian Norma Gregory (M.A) curator, presents the reminiscences and narratives of former black British miners, enriching existing industrial and mining-related heritage. The exhibition supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Midlands & East, National Lottery Players and Sandford Cascade Project plus many other organisations and individuals, continues its tour nationally after the exhibition closes at the National Coal Mining Museum in 2020.

The exhibition in the Main Gallery, forms part of the Black Miners Museum Project, a heritage project led by Norma Gregory (M.A) at Nottingham News Centre CIC and is kindly supported by many individuals and organisations as well as the National Lottery Heritage Fund, East Midlands and National Lottery Players.

What to see:

  • Unique exhibition panels with audio, commentary, and quotes documenting and explaining aspects of the personal journeys/experiences and narratives from former coal miners of African Caribbean heritage
  • Original commissioned coal artwork by Honey Williams, Winnie Kwok, Karen Thompson and other aspiring community artists (new pieces to be added in the future, pending Arts Council funding)
  • The Digging Deep documentary film
  • Miners’ portrait photography by David Severn, Richard Jones, Charles Sagoe and Chris Upton
  • Archive and contemporary images
  • Coal art jewellery and sculpture by designer Winnie Kwok
  • Costume displays
  • Dean & Chapter Colliery banner
  • Black Miners’ poetry by contributing poets: Delroy Brown, Arthur Cole and Munnya Usuwana
  • Children’s learning area and activities
  • Public evaluation feedback/reflection area
  • And much more!

Digging Deep: Miners of African Caribbean Heritage Exhibition at the National Coal Mining Museum for England (Wakefield, Yorkshire UK) from 21st September 2019 – 2020, 10am-5pm, free entry (£5 donation for an underground tour).