Black Ink: When Trouble Come, Ink Haffi Run

Brixton, 1978 and a group of young people with varied skills have a mission to explore, witness, uphold and reproduce the very radical idea of their lives. Black Ink, a writing and artist collective published what no one else would. With the support of the local community, eight young people provided a platform for young Black Britons to write and have their works published. To produce what they wanted to see and to read.

During this hostile period in Black British history, Black Ink captured a moment in time responding to the structured absences, by setting up a nurturing environment, a safe space, in their established Black Writers’s Workshop. They created the first imprint to give voice to the first generation of post WWII young Black people in Britain as they came of age.

Black Ink published children and teenagers (some as young as 10) whose concerns were often about healing, identity and their struggles with everyday life about loneliness, the police, suitable housing, employment and going to a blues party.

When Trouble Come, Ink Haffi Run highlights Black Ink’s legacy by showcasing the books, pamphlets and artwork for the first time in 45 years. This is the first iteration of a series of Black Ink Legacy’s commemorative events.

Exhibition curated by Désirée Reynolds and Desrie Thomson-George

Exhibition designed by Ahmed Akasha

*This event is supported by the Convocation Trust of the University of London, together with Senate House Library and the Institute of English Studies, and the research group, Spineless Wonders led by the Slade School of Fine Art