About Black Cultural Archives
Inspired by Pan-African civil rights leader Queen Mother Moore, the Black Cultural Archives (BCA) was founded in 1981 with a mission to create Britain’s first archive and museum dedicated to representing the culture and history of Black people in Britain. Ours is a radical mission, with national and international significance.
Today BCA is a Black-led, Brixton-based independent charity, rooted in educational activism. We are the nation’s home of Black British history engagement, and a beacon for Black communities at home and abroad. Our mission is to collect, preserve, and celebrate the histories of people of African and Caribbean descent in the UK and to inspire and give strength to individuals, communities, and society.
We promote the importance of historical reflection as a powerful tool to help society learn from the past and work towards a more racially just and equitable future for all. We do this by providing a welcoming, safe space for people to discover and celebrate empowering representations of themselves. We are a hub for conversations that disrupt traditional thinking and ignite innovative ideas that promote social progress and positive change.
Our archive collections and exhibitions tell stories of inspiration and resilience. The eclectic range of objects, rare historical ephemera, books, photographs, and oral history testimonies cared for in our Collections, bring histories to life from the 2nd century to the present day. Holdings such as the UK Black Power and the Black Women’s movement have transformed contemporary scholarship.
We are a leader in the heritage sector, preserving and making accessible untold histories, championing workforce development, teaching across London schools, collaborating with universities in the UK and internationally, and organising public gatherings to highlight Black intellectual thought and achievements across a range of subjects.
From 1 February 2025, we have temporarily closed our building to focus on enhancing our services and preparing for a stronger future. However, BCA remains fully active through our rich and extensive archives, library services, engaging learning programmes, events and online exhibition. Visitors can still access archives by appointment, explore online exhibitions, participate in workshops and special events.