Peter Brathwaite to showcase display at Oxford library

On May 11, Peter Brathwaite will be sharing his family history at the Weston Library, part of the Bodleian Library, from 1pm - 4pm.

This will include 'Mischief in the Lecture Theatre: In Conversation with Peter Brathwaite' from 2pm - 3pm.

The event will take place at The Weston Library (Image: Bodleian Libraries/John Cairns)

This event will offer an inside look at his pop-up exhibit 'Mischief in the Archives'.

Attendees will be guided through the display, discovering the personal stories behind Mr Brathwaite's family history research.

There will also be a hands-on activity for attendees to create their own keepsake from 'Mischief in the Archives'.

Attendees will also learn about conducting Caribbean and African family history research using the Bodleian’s rich archival collections.

The 'We Are Our History' project which highlights diverse histories and encourages individuals to reclaim their personal stories will also be discussed.

Attendees will delve deeper into the Bodleian's collections and explore the significance of archival research and its power to shape understanding.

By outlining Mr Brathwaite's ancestry, which ties back to the British-owned Codrington plantations in Barbados, 'Mischief in the Archives' aims to challenge preconceived racial narratives and re-humanise history.

Stories of ancestors who were intrinsically linked to slavery, such as enslaved and later freed Black couple Margaret and Addo Brathwaite and John Brathwaite, a white plantation owner, are showcased.

Mr Brathwaite challenges the conventional narrative of colonial records by presenting his family artefacts alongside the materials researched at the Bodleian Libraries, creating what he refers to as "counter-archives".

In historical archives, enslaved individuals were often referred to as "mischievous" for merely asserting their humanity and personhood.

Mr Brathwaite's approach of merging personal family items with the Bodleian's selection gives voice to those the archives have long silenced.

The event is a collaboration with the Bodleian Libraries, forming part of the libraries' Mellon Foundation-funded research project, 'We Are Our History'.

The project title borrows inspiration from American writer James Baldwin's quote: "History is not the past. It is the present. We carry our history with us. We are our history."

The initiative is one of several aimed at fostering inclusion and diversity, by re-evaluating collections, audience engagement, and staffing, all through the lens of race and British Empire legacies.

Past collaborations have included the 'These Things Matter: Empire, Exploitation and Everyday Racism' exhibition with the Museum of Colour.

There have also been a series of talks by artists, scholars and researchers opening up critical engagement with archives and what they can tell us about race and identity.