an online talk by Selena Carty, founder of BlackPoppyRose

Our exhibition "Lest We Forget: the Black Contribution to the World Wars in Wiltshire" aims to respectfully tell some of the stories and experiences of the Black community living and working in the Armed Forces in Wiltshire during the World Wars of the 20th Century. The exhibition uses stories of individual soldiers, videos and artworks from local craft groups to highlight Black history during the 20th century and the presence of servicemen from the Caribbean and America during WWI and WWII in Wiltshire.
Selena traces the contribution of Black service-men and women from the late 1700's to today. She highlights the diversity of those who served and the impact that they had on both their own countries and the British Empire.

Selena Carty is a Cultural & Ancestral Genealogist, Global War Heritage Specialist and an Identity & Empowerment Consultant. She founded the BlackPoppyRose CIC & BlackRose of Remembrance in 2010 to remember the African, Black, West Indian, Caribbean, Pacific Islands & Indigenous Nations contributions to Wars/Revolutions/Rebellions since the sixteenth-century. Using symbols, wreaths, artefacts and more to empower and educate communities world-wide.

The exhibition Lest We Forget: The Black Contribution to the World Wars in Wiltshire is funded by AIM (Association for Independent Museums) and Arts Council England.