Breaking the Dead Silence.

A new Open Access publication gathers critical responses and silenced voices in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in 2020, renewed international support for the Black Lives Matter cause, and the toppling of Edward Colston's statue in Bristol. Through case studies, reflections, and academic discussions, this book offers a timely contribution to heritage debates and urgent questions about memorialisation, representation, social justice and repair. It sets out to break the ‘dead silence’ by bringing together diverse perspectives from academics, artists, activists, and heritage professionals, presenting critical commentaries and accounts of recent interventions on an official heritage narrative.

Drawing from examples and experiences from Bath and Bristol, to Lancaster and Mexico, the book explores fresh insights and strategies attending to the impacts and legacies of colonisation in British heritage. Chapters 9 and 16 include participant responses to Jill Sutherland's redisplay of the Plantation Day Book at the Holburne Museum (2021), and her critical reflections on object hierarchy, diaspora, and tradition in permanent displays.