Staff writer Gioia Birt reviews the Voices of Resistance exhibition at the Postal Museum, shedding light on the hidden histories of African enslavement and resistance through letters, art, and archival materials.
Never have voices spoken more powerfully than through the written word of the letters I read in the Postal Museum’s Voices of Resistance exhibition. Through a series of carefully curated documents, paintings, photos and of course, post, I learned how the postal service both drove and depended on, the forced labour of enslaved Africans. This rich and thought-provoking exhibition is the product of a collaboration between the Dollar fo’ Dollar culture and History committee inc, the Royal Mail culture bearers and the Caribbean social forum. You can find it in Clerkenwell, just a 5-minute walk from Farringdon station.
Letters detailing information from British-owned plantations were sent between Britain and the Caribbean in packet ships. The exhibition grants visitors access into this world, through displaying some of these letters and documents. One of these included a page listing the names of enslaved individuals and their relation to one another, such as ‘family’ or ‘mother and daughter’. Reading each name underscored the power of bringing these documents to light – one of the few ways we can allow these historically silenced voices to finally be heard.
The ability to read these letters momentarily pulls the visitor into a world that for so many years was hidden from history. It’s hard not to feel emotionally affected as you find yourself enthralled, tracing letter after letter. A section of the exhibition analyses post that details an enslaved woman Nancy Brown, who protested against a lack of cloth for clothes. The exhibition’s “against the grain” approach invites the visitor to piece together details whilst reading the correspondence.
The core of Voices of Resistance revolves around the vital action of the St Thomas coal workers, who were subject to enslaved labour under The Royal Mail Steam Company. The company was set up by James MacQueen a staunch proponent of the continuation of slavery after abolition. His ships were located in St Thomas and were powered by coal. Coal workers’ free labour was exploited, leading to the 1892 worker’s strike. Their fierce protests and strike-action was led by Queen Coziah who commanded two hundred predominantly female coal workers. Her work won their right to be paid fairly ‘dollar fo’ dollar’. At the exhibition, artist Ama Dennis called her ‘the fabric of the community, she is the woman we are today.’
Queen Coziah’s transformative legacy can be seen in one of the final pieces of the exhibition – a specially commissioned film put together by Dollar fo’ Dollar, an organisation based in St. Thomas which researches and raises awareness of the legacy of the island’s coal workers. This video powerfully illuminates the past coal worker’s voices of resistance that continue to be empowered by the voices of today.
The present-day importance of giving voice to a once silenced past was further illustrated through photos of basket weaving workshops from the Caribbean Social Forum and artwork by Joy Gregory. Gregory’s pieces intriguingly resonate with an inherently human quality, incorporating strands of her hair into their production.
To conclude, Voices of Resistance powerfully, movingly and artfully lets a once silenced past of African enslavement speak volumes. This exhibition reminds us of the value in looking to the past, both to question and honour aspects of our present. The exhibition is open until January 5th 2026 and you can buy your tickets online at https://www.postalmuseum.org/event/voices-of-resistance/.
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