70 years of the Windrush generation celebrated through photographs honouring community leaders

A new exhibition titled Expectations: The Untold Story of Black British Community Leaders in the 60s and 70s will take over Brixton’s Black Cultural Archives, in August.

The exhibition has been curated by acclaimed photographer Neil Kenlock, once the official photographer of the British Black Panthers and founder of Choice FM, and his daughter Emelia Kenlock; and pays homage to the 70th anniversary of the Empire Windrush to Great Britain.

The exhibition is comprised of 70 photographs from the archives of Neil Kenlock himself, across three themes: challenges, collaboration and change. Among the collection, there are recognisable images of luminaries including broadcaster and civil rights campaigner Darcus Howe; anti-discrimination, women’s and squatters’ rights campaigner Olive Morris; and the first black BBC radio presenter with a reggae music show, Steve Bernard.

Speaking about it, Kenlock says, “This project aims to give access to examples of Black leadership, as well as archive material outside of the normal educational environment. Over fifty years since the concept of ‘Black excellence’ first manifested, and 70 years on from the Windrush, I truly hope the exhibition will add to the national cultural narrative and resonate with new audiences.  I would like to thank the BCA and the Heritage Lottery Fund for their support in the realising of this vision.”

The exhibition runs from 7 August — 28 September.