Hidden heroes: the secret history of black mariners in the Royal Navy

This Black History Month, following the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of the death of George Floyd, is a crucial one. During lockdown, many have looked inwards, stocking up on books to expand their perspectives on black history and the black experience – in June, author Reni Eddo-Lodge became the first black British author to top the UK book charts with her book, Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race.

Discussions have also re-emerged concerning proposals for a new black slavery museum. Endorsed last year by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, the proposals address discrimination against London’s black and minority populations by both challenging centuries-old tropes about racial inferiority and telling the important stories of black history. How might a new museum do this successfully?

An exhibition opening this weekend at the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, touches on this story. The culmination of more than a decade’s worth of planning and research by the College (formerly the Royal Hospital for Seamen), the show comes serendipitously at a time where (belated) calls for further insight into black history are being heard.

Black Greenwich Pensioners explores the history of black mariners, whose story plays a crucial role in the history of the institution, and yet hasn’t had the recognition it deserves. The hidden histories of the black Royal Navy personnel presented here take us into the worlds, thoughts and personal moments of one of Britain’s earliest black communities, when they became pensioners at the Royal Hospital for Seamen on the site where the Old Royal Naval College stands today.

What do we know of black seamen? Not much, it seems. The exhibition’s co-curator, SI Martin, tells me that this is partly owing to the general lack of awareness of the black presence in British history prior to 1948. His vital and fascinating exhibition seeks to re-balance the scales, and look at the impact of these black communities who have been in Greenwich for hundreds of years.

In the years following the American Revolution, the numbers of black men aboard American ships increased. Many were “free blacks” from Northern ports, but aristocratic Southern planters continued to use enslaved seamen. Despite the growth of abolitionism, black mariners’ travels continued to be shaped by racism.

Being a black seaman in the 18th and 19th centuries was dangerous and unpredictable. Some were volunteers, some enslaved. The exhibition explores the divergent geographical genesis of the black mariners, illuminating their lives through photographs, prints and paintings.

They made significant contributions to the development of black revolutionary and abolitionist discourse. Briton Hammon, one of the focuses of the exhibition, was the author of the first “slave narrative”, which was a published record of his time as an enslaved man. These narratives undoubtedly contributed to pro-abolition feeling in Britain.

We also learn of John Simmonds, a Jamaican veteran of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, seen here in a particularly interesting portrait, painted in Mansfield Market, wearing his Trafalgar medal. And of John Thomas, who escaped slavery and was later returned to enslavement in Barbados. “He was born into slavery on the Newton plantation, Barbados,” Martin explains. “In 1808, he alleged cruelty by a plantation manager and ran away to sea, joining the Royal Navy.”

In 1815, he was discharged from the Navy with a Greenwich pension and returned to enslavement in Barbados, where he had left a large family. Before he returned, he had stated his grievances to the Newton plantation landlord in London, and asked to be sent home with the promise of no “stripes” (lashes). By 1830, he was owed ￡56 of a pension he couldn’t be paid. The Admiralty wondered: “How this man can now be a slave, having once been in His Majesty’s Service?’” It is indeed curious.

There is also Frederik Zeegulaar, an in-pensioner of the Old Royal Navy College, who was understood to have served in the Dutch army prior to his arrival in Britain. By 1808, he was the landlord of the Cock and Lion pub in Wigmore Street, London, and had married. Then he caused controversy by becoming a Freemason, until 1821 when he joined the Royal Navy.

These small histories are connected to a much wider one. Black history could never fit into one month. Perhaps the idea is that by discovering the history on our doorstep, we can move forward toward understanding the global context. Even so, more and more museums and cultural institutions are embracing the telling of these stories throughout their programme, rather than just in October, and not before time.

Here, then, are my recommendations for what to see:

Toyin Ojih-Odutola, A Countervailing Theory, Barbican

The first UK exhibition by the Nigerian-American artist Toyin Ojih-Odutola explores an ancient myth of her own imagining. Ojih-Odutola invites us into a fantastical world where gender – and the expectations attached to it – are inverted. Soft chalk and charcoal create radiant skin tones. This a truly contemplative exhibition reflecting on the societal structure of Nigeria, as well as imagining a new one. barbican.org.uk

Kara Walker, Fons Americanus (Hyundai Commission), Tate Modern

Kara Walker’s candid exploration of race takes the form of a 13-metre-tall working fountain inspired by the Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace. Subverting this celebration of the British Empire, the monumental fountain’s imagery investigates the interconnected histories of Africa, America and Europe. Water is a powerful theme in the piece, as it refers to the transatlantic slave trade. tate.org.uk

International Slavery Museum, Liverpool

The International Slavery Museum is dedicated to exploring historical and contemporary slavery. The narrative starts with a probing investigation into the people of West Africa and their rich history, moving on to reveal how slavery came about, and the conditions the slaves endured, narrated by those who experienced it. The collection ends with reminders of the discrimination and micro-aggressions faced by the black population today, long after the abolition of the slave trade. It’s rousing and truly moving. liverpoolmuseums.org.uk

Face to Face, The Kings Cross Tunnel

Face to Face, curated by writer and broadcaster Ekow Eshun, in partnership with the Fund for Global Human Rights, gathers together social documentary and portrait photography from eight international artists working across Africa, Latin America, and south-east Asia. Sabelo Mlangeni’s “House of Allure” portraits are particularly striking: an intimate series documenting the residents of a safe house for Nigeria’s still-marginalised queer communities. So is Medina Dugger’s “Enshroud”, inspired by the Muslim women in Lagos, who wear the hijab as a form of self-expression rather than oppression. kingscross.co.uk

Misan Harriman at Sothebys, London

Misan Harriman's powerful portrayal of London's Black Lives Matter protests in June have caught the attention of Sotheby's. The image 'Why Is Ending Racism A Debate?' will be auctioned by Sotheby's this month, to benefit Harriman's chosen blood cancer charity, Anthony Nolan. The black and white picture, captured outside the US Embassy in London, went viral after Edward Enninful, Lewis Hamilton and Martin Luther King III shared the image on Instagram. Last month, Harriman became the first black male photographer to shoot the cover of Vogue in the magazine's 104-year-history. The work will be on view at Sotheby's London from 11-14 October

Black Greenwich Pensioners opens tomorrow and runs until February 21 2021. Info: ornc.org