Sheffield Stories - Sheffield Museums Trust

Help shape new displays telling the stories of people of African Caribbean heritage living in Sheffield.

Sheffield’s museums are for everyone. We continue to work collaboratively with our communities to recognise the diverse experiences of people living in the city and tell their stories together.

The next project is working with people of Caribbean heritage living in Sheffield to tell their stories. We’ve formed a group of co-curators from the local community to develop new displays for the Sheffield Stories gallery at Weston Park Museum. Every three years this gallery is redisplayed with a new exhibition representing different voices and experiences of Sheffield residents.

The 2024-2027 exhibition will tell inspiring stories of journeys, culture and heritage, celebrating the contributions of African Caribbean people to Sheffield life.

Together, we’re looking to share the experiences of people of African Caribbean descent, specifically people from the Caribbean Islands with African heritage, including people of mixed heritage. This includes Dutch, British, Portuguese, Spanish and French speaking Caribbean Islands where historic enslavement of African people and colonisation is present.

As we mark the 75^th anniversary of Windrush, we recognise the importance of sharing the stories of the Windrush generation before those first-hand stories are lost. We’d also like to include stories right up to the present day, reflecting the diverse lived experiences of people with African Caribbean heritage in Sheffield. In the exhibition space, stories can be explored in many ways – through objects, photographs, letters, creative writing, art and music.

We would love to hear of any stories you’d be happy to share, or objects relating to:

Photographs of family and friends
Journeys from the Caribbean to Sheffield – what came in the suitcase?
Did you have a special front room and a big glass fish?
Working in the steel and metal industry, NHS, bus, trams, the military and more
Church, community groups, clubs, school
Fighting against discrimination and injustice
Cricket, football, dominos and other sports
Fashion and getting your hair done
Food – what to cook and where to buy it
Anyone remember Franks record shop? Did you follow the sound?

This project will help us find more about the African Caribbean diaspora in Sheffield and ensure that the city’s museums truly represent a range of voices.