Mapping Black Europe: Monuments, Markers, Memories Book Discussion

About the book:

Black communities have been making major contributions to Europe's social and cultural life and landscapes for centuries. However, their achievements largely remain unrecognized by the dominant societies, as their perspectives are excluded from traditional modes of marking public memory. For the first time in European history, leading Black scholars and activists examine this issue - with first-hand knowledge of the eight European capitals in which they live. Highlighting existing monuments, memorials, and urban markers they discuss collective narratives, outline community action, and introduce people and places relevant to Black European history, which continues to be obscured today.

About the authors:

Dr. Natasha A. Kelly

Natasha A. Kelly was born in the UK and raised in Germany. She has a PhD in Communication Studies and Sociology from the University of Münster, Germany. A bestselling author and editor of eight books, Natasha acts as curator, artist, filmmaker, and theater director and has held visiting professorships at numerous universities in Germany and the USA. In 2018 she made her film debut at the 10th Berlin Biennale with her award-winning and internationally distributed documentary “Millis Awakening”. As a member of the Black Speculative Arts Movement (BSAM), her academic and artistic works include visions of Black futures. Natasha presently is the founding director of Germany’s first independent Institute for Black German Arts and Culture.

Professor Olive Vassell

Olive Vassell was born and raised in London. A longtime journalist and educator, she has an MA in International Journalism. Olive has worked at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the UK’s Channel 4. After holding several positions in the Black press in the UK and the USA, she founded and managed the pioneering Black European news site, Euromight.com (2009-2022).  Olive recently launched BBrit Project, which focuses on People of African Descent in the UK. In 2020, she wrote a chapter on the Black British and Irish Press for The Edinburgh History of the British and Irish Press, Volume 3: Competition and Disruption, 1900-2017. In 2022, Olive completed a Fulbright specialist assignment at the Namibia University of Science and Technology. She currently heads the Digital Media program at the University of the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C.