Talented young Black historians – Why should you join YHP

In June 2023, YHP ran a history workshop in collaboration with Blemme Fatale Productions, a theatre organisation aiming to 'heal the cultural and historical knowledge gap across the Black diaspora'. Lamesha Ruddock, the founder of Blemme Fatale and a former member of YHP, organised the workshops as part of a supplementary school series.

“YHP has influenced me creatively, even leading me to create Blemme Fatale Productions, I’na Suit You, which is a historical research and theatre making project around the history of patois in the arts, and of course Thee Supplementary School which I am so glad YHP was a part of.” – Lamesha

The workshop activities were centred around four themes: community education, public history, arts, and academia. These reflected the lines of research of our current project titled 'Each One, Teach One': The Foundations of Black British History’. The workshop was geared towards school–aged children between 12 and 18. We introduced the students to the work of key historians like Nigel File and Chris Power, discussed the history of supplementary schools, explored representations of Black British histories in theatre and the arts, and imagined designs for public history sites. 

This workshop led us to reflect on the experience of joining and working with YHP. We are all from different walks of life, incredibly creative, and aligned together with a passion for sharing Black British history. Through YHP, we have been able to develop transferable skills and practise a variety of crafts, including photography, filmmaking, public speaking, organising workshops, and leading events. 

Why join us?

YHP provides the opportunity to develop as historians within a close–knit and amazing group of young people, critically engage with history, and explore under–explored stories within Black British history. Many of us also through this organisation have become trailblazers and successful in fields like museums, archives, and curatorial work.

Here is what Lamesha had to say about her time at YHP:

“I have been inspired by YHP to become an historian. Being at YHP has allowed me to grow as a person. I believe I have a responsibility to pass on the knowledge I know to heal people, through the knowledge of their culture, history, and language."

“ From being thrown into the deep end, having to deliver talks at museums, to going on specialised workshops on oral history, film, and exhibition–making, the skills I use as a producer and historian have been greatly influenced by the opportunities YHP has provided me.”