Black Cultural Archives

Went to the black cultural archives, whilst in Brixton. No charge to go in, but you can donate £5. We don't have anything like this in the West Midlands. At the front of the building there is a monument dedicated with all the regiments from Africa, Ethiopia and many more black countries who took part in the war. They have a book store, with a variety of books for adults and children. They sell pens, socks t-shirts and cloth bags and a map of the London underground labeled with historic famous black people. They were exhibiting Bob Marley's life story to coincide with his movie I would think. There was a uniform near reception of a royal Air Force officer They had one floor exhibiting. There was an upstairs, not sure why they don't use both floors to exhibit black culture. I was a little disappointed there is so much history about black people and their lives. I've given it 4 stars, as it was my first time there. I'm hoping if I return there will be more to see! As the sign says "It is black history everyday" Let's see more inside next time.

Great place! Been there twice in one month, but have not made it to the exhibitions as yet. The cafe is so very zen, with stellar service, and food&drink to die for! The museum shop also has many gems. Basically, there is so much info on black cultural heritage and events, as well as good hospitality for all, when you get there. Love the place!

Simply amazing experience! Great exhibits while the curator and staff are very knowledgeable providing a highly interactive experience. The facility is excellent, modern and very clean. The BCA provides an authentic experience of black cultural history . Pretty much overwhelmed by my last visit, so strong urge anyone to visit, since it's open to diversity.

I had a brilliant time at the archives. The lady who ran our session on Black Feminism was brilliant. She was extremely knowledgable and the perfect tour guide through history. I also learned a lot about black leaders in the ‘Stories of Black Leadership’ exhibition. 10/10, definitely worth seeing in person if you haven’t been.

Black Cultural Archives is an archive and heritage centre in Brixton, London,devoted to the histories of people of African and Caribbean descent in Britain. Also known as BCA it was founded in 1981, by educationalist and historian Len Garrison and others. BCA's mission is to record, preserve and celebrate the history of people of African descent in Britain. The BCA's new building in Brixton opened in 2014, enables access to the archive collection, provides dedicated learning spaces and mounts a program of exhibitions and events.

I visited the Windrush Exhibition. It was good, not great. I was hoping for more than just a small room with a few pictures and some voice recordings which lasted about 3 minutes. The centre itself is very cosy and welcoming. The cafe is excellent if you want a bite and relax. The forecourt just outside the cafe is spacious and would be great to have a meet-up. The shop has some great selection of books and gift items. I also spent some time in the library archives upstairs. Well worth visiting. You can take photos of the material which is great if you are doing some research. A great place! Staff were friendly and helpful.

I absolutely loved my visit here. The staff at the front desk were warm towards not only me, but others that came in after me. The energy and vibe in the cafe is 🔥 and the servers are genuine and warm hearted. The food was excellent too. The installation was very well displayed and the facility itself is clean and modern. Great place to learn about black history or just to get a coffee and hang out.

The Black Cultural Archive came into been to help highlight & document the presence of Black People in "The United Kingdom". It has a small exhibition area that offers a display documenting Their Political, Social,& Economic contribution to "The United Kingdom". There's also the opportunity to book time slots, to delve into particular areas of interest. Books,Card Paintings,Prints,and other such like items are available to purchase. For me it a Mecca for information on Black People presence in "The United Kingdom" from the Edwardian & Victorian period, through to World War 1 & 2, the 1950's,60's,70's, 80's right up to date.

This was an amazing gem in the heart of Brixton! Thoroughly enjoyed my time here. It's always interesting to see how things are so similar despite the distance. The African diaspora is tightly knit. I walked away with knowledge of Black British history, that I wasn't aware of prior to. The archives host was very friendly and knowledgeable. He even shared his poem with us. The cafe inside was phenomenal and reasonable priced! If I'm ever in London again, I'll definitely come here to eat! I bought a Toni Morrison book (my fav author) from the gift shop. Everything was priced fine. It was a cute dainty little shop.

I love the exhibit and the gift shop. Small and they need a guide, but if you can read, you'll be fine. Also not far from the tube and good places to eat.

The Black Cultural Archives website states that it is "the only national heritage centre dedicated to collecting, preserving and celebrating the histories of African and Caribbean people in Britain." I visited out of a sincere interest about Black migration to and through England throughout history. The Centre, unfortunately is a bit limited. The gallery is "free" but seemed to consist of a single conference room on the second floor with pictures featuring prominent leaders in the civil rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s. I couldn't get a clear answer from anyone as to whether this was the entirety of the free gallery. There was also a first floor special "Windrush" exhibit on the first floor that was much more comprehensive than the main gallery and that focused on Black migration from the Caribbean to England in the late 1940s and early 1950s and challenges faced by Brexit and other citizenship laws throughout the last 50 years. Admission to the exhibit cost only £3 and it was a must see. I wish I could give a higher rating, as this centre seeks to tell an important history, but the presentation was not rounded. I left knowing nothing about Caribbean migration prior to the late 1940s or about those who migrated directly from Africa. I did purchase a copy of "Black and British" by David Olusoga from the gift shop, and anticipate that its 529 pages will provide far greater insight. I skipped the Cafe because I ate in Brixton Market prior to my arrival. The Centre exhibits did note that it is still in its infancy and seeking sources of funding, which could significantly raise the Centre's profile and impact. I would still recommend seeing the Centre, but combining a visit to the Brixton Market to make a well rounded half day excursion. I would also recommend considering making a donation to the Centre if you are passionate about Afro Caribbean History.

EXCELLENT space for Black community and information. I was so very pleased to be able to poor in my resources too this space. We are so fortunate to be able to enter spaces like BCA, to have voices like Neil Kenlock to offer their experiences and wisdom first hand. The staff were wonderful and accommodating of our big noisy group. The bookshop had great selections as did the cafe. I can't wait to return to London, this will be my first stop!

...I'm just really pleased that an institution like this exists in the UK. And they're off to a nice start. The spanking new BCA is a museum, library, cafe & event space in the very heart of Brixton celebrating pan-African culture & history. They put £7 million into the building's renovation and it shows: mansion-esque on the exterior and modern, well-executed minimalist design in the interior. The current exhibition "Black Women in Britain," was very enlightening, as I've never heard of these remarkable women in my history books back in the States (I'm a U.S. expat). I'm sure the curation will improve over time. All the staff- from the receptionists to exhibit informant to the cafe's baristas- were lovely and very helpful. As a black individual, I can say that this place has made me proud.