The National Maritime Museum has been accused of ‘erasing’ British history after stating that one of its exhibits does not include the ‘legacies’ of slavery or ‘black voices’
The “Atlantic Gallery” of the south London institution opened in 2007, concentrating on the role the ocean has played as a conduit for the flow of products, people, and ideas over the centuries.
A new installation in the gallery, however, informs visitors that it “no longer reflects the approaches or ambitions of the National Maritime Museum” since “legacies of transatlantic slavery are conspicuously absent and Black voices are not well represented in the space.”
Under a banner that says, “How are you affected by the legacies of transatlantic slavery? “, visitors are invited to place their responses on pieces of paper in the gallery.
But author Benjamin Loughnane, who visited the museum at the beginning of the month, was “very sad” to learn that his “favorite childhood museum” has “gone WOKE.”
He stated on a note he posted in the exhibit, “Please stop trying to erase our glorious history with your woke nonsense!”
The National Maritime Museum has been criticized for devaluing one of its own exhibitions due to the absence of ‘legacies’ of slavery. The Atlantic Gallery, which opened in 2007, informs visitors that it “no longer reflects the approaches or ambitions of the National Maritime Museum” because “legacies of transatlantic slavery are conspicuously absent and Black voices are inadequately represented in the space.”
In response to an internet critic who questioned the glory of the slave trade, he noted that Britain was among the first nations to ban the practice.
The Atlantic Gallery’s plaque commemorates the 200th anniversary of the British abolition of the slave trade, which occurred in 1807.
Three new walls, some of which feature inscriptions from visitors, are described as “the initial phase of an ongoing project responding to the existing gallery”
The walls were designed by a “small, intergenerational team of people from the African diaspora,” according to the report.
The inscription adds, ‘This place emphasizes human narratives and explores the local landscape of Greenwich and its environs in the context of this history.
We hope that this will enhance the museum’s presentation of the history and legacies of transatlantic slavery in the future.
Benjamin Loughnane, who visited the museum at the beginning of the month, was “very sad” to discover that his “favorite childhood museum” has “gone WOKE.” He stated on a note he posted in the exhibit, “Please stop trying to erase our glorious history with your woke nonsense!”
As recently as July of last year, the website for the museum did not include a message criticizing the existing gallery space.
But by November last year, a similar message to the one in the physical exhibit had been added.
To commemorate International Slavery Remembrance Day in 2021, five young people were invited to ‘interrogate’ the exhibit, according to the modified page.
On a separate page, the participants have written: “The Atlantic Worlds gallery has to be reimagined.
‘The unpleasant truths of the time between the 17th and 19th century – the advent of colonialism and the Transatlantic Slave Trade – are tough to address.
However, the tales of those whose lives have been impacted by these global institutions and their ongoing effects must be recounted.
This project is a minor step in that direction – an opportunity to broaden the range of perspectives within the gallery.
“It is impossible to transform the space in a single day, but we hope to create space for practical conversations that shift power away from the institution and into the hands of those affected by the enduring legacy of slavery, empire, and racism”
The youth altered the gallery’s lighting to make it brighter, as it is “not a place to fall asleep, but to awaken and confront reality.”
The plaque in the museum’s display follows the removal of a bust of King George III that depicted him surrounded by two kneeling African men because it ‘hurtfully reinforced racial stereotypes.’
In 2021, the institution stated that the figurehead, which is believed to have been designed to commemorate Britain’s triumph in the Battle of Waterloo, was the target of “frequent criticism” and was “a harmful reinforcement of stereotypes”
Mr. Loughnane criticized the museum on Twitter, stating that it had “gone WOKE.”
As part of its efforts to challenge Britain’s ‘barbaric history of race and colonialism,’ the museum will reassess the legacy of Lord Horatio Nelson in October 2020, according to a press release.
The museum in Greenwich, London, contains the hero admiral’s love letters and the cloak he was wearing when he was killed in 1805 during the Battle of Trafalgar.
There have been a number of ‘woke’ moves by cultural organisations in Britain.
The 2021 William Hogarth show at the Tate Britain was criticized as curators highlighted’sexual violence, anti-Semitism, and racism’ in the artist’s paintings.
And National Gallery employees conducted a three-year examination that linked hundreds of its renowned paintings to slavery.
In April of last year, the Courtauld Gallery was criticized for implementing a new label for its paintings, including A Bar at the Folies-Bergère by Édouard Manet from 1882.
The picture depicts a bartender at the famous Parisian cabaret club staring directly at the viewer, with a male patron reflected behind her.
The revised information box in the gallery and on the website claimed that the female subject’s “mysterious expression is unsettling, particularly since she appears to be interacting with a male customer.”
Critics labeled it a “woke attempt to call out misogyny” that “unwittingly centers the male gaze” by focusing on the man.
In 2021, the National Trust released a report detailing the ties between 93 of its properties with slavery and colonialism.
As former Secretary of State for the Colonies, Winston Churchill’s former residence in Kent, Chartwell, was included on the list.
Royal Museums Greenwich includes the National Maritime Museum (shown).
The trust was accused of ‘wokeism’ and jumping on the Black Lives Matter bandwagon, which sparked a harsh backlash from various quarters, including some MPs and peers.
In response to complaints, the charities regulator started a case to investigate critics’ concerns, but decided that the National Trust had behaved in accordance with its charitable aims and that no regulatory action was warranted.
A spokesperson at the National Maritime Museum stated, “The Atlantic Worlds gallery opened in 2007.” New exhibits and narratives are added to galleries on a regular basis.
As part of its efforts to question Britain’s ‘barbaric history of race and colonialism,’ the museum plans to evaluate the legacy of Lord Horatio Nelson in October of 2020. Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square, London, is pictured.
‘The “Work in Progress” exhibit, which invites visitors to provide feedback on the existing gallery, was planned for opening in March 2020 but was postponed owing to the pandemic; it was installed after the Museum reopened (after the lockdown closures).
“We are always discovering more about the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its legacies, as well as other historical issues related to Royal Museum Greenwich buildings, subjects, and collections.
Some of this history was not investigated when the gallery opened fifteen years ago, and the Museum is involved in continuous conversations with a variety of stakeholders, academics, and visitors to determine how to present a better knowledge of this past based on updated and new research.
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