Talk # John Blanke: the Black Tudor trumpeter and the reimagining of history Discover the life of John Blanke, the Black Tudor trumpeter who served at the courts of Henry VII and Henry VIII. Date : 9 October 2026 Location : Online ![Image of Tudor trumpeters on horseback, taken from Westminster tournament rolls](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/media/images/Westminster_Tourname_dgOABsB.3f144875.fill-900x600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.bgcolor-fff.jpg) About this image College of Arms MS Westminster Tournament Roll, 1511, membrane 28. Reproduced by permission of the Kings, Heralds and Pursuivants of Arms. John Blanke is believed to be the first person of African descent for whom we have both an image and an archival record. His story offers a rare glimpse into the life of an African living in Tudor England. Join historian Michael Ohajuru as he pieces together John Blanke’s life using surviving records: Blanke’s role as a royal musician, his appearance on the 1511 Westminster Tournament Roll, and his successful petition for a pay rise. Learn what Blanke’s story reveals about status, identity, and opportunity in early sixteenth-century England. The talk also introduces The John Blanke Project and the book Who Is John Blanke? which bring together the work of 35 historians and 81 artists. Their work reminds us that even the briefest archival traces can inspire us to reimagine overlooked lives. ## Event details Date : 9 October 2026, 14:00 to 15:00 Price : Free : Pay what you can Location : [Online, Live-streamed on Vimeo](#location-details) **This event has sold out.** ## Dates for this event ### 9 October 2026 (past event) * 14:00 to 15:00 ## Newsletter [Get priority booking](https://pages.enews.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pages/subscribe) Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for exhibition updates and early booking for events, including talks and tours. ## How to join online ### What you need to join This event will be live streamed on the website of our streaming service, Vimeo. When you book, you will receive an email that includes the link you need to join the event. This link will also be shared with you in a reminder email in advance of the event. * Vimeo provide guidance on [How to watch a live event](https://help.vimeo.com/hc/en-us/articles/12426085581073-How-to-watch-a-live-event-on-Vimeo). * **You do not need a Vimeo account to join.** If you do sign up for a Vimeo account, please be aware you may be asked to verify your age. You can find out more here: [About age verification in the UK and EU](https://help.vimeo.com/hc/en-us/articles/38597306882193-About-age-verification-for-the-UK-and-the-EU) * You can join from your browser from a laptop or mobile device. * For the best experience we recommend using either a laptop or desktop computer. ### Help during the event To access the live event, click on the link in the Eventbrite confirmation email you received when you booked the event. Vimeo will open in your web browser. * If the live event hasn’t started at the advertised start time, please refresh your browser window and click the play button on the event again. If that doesn’t work, try closing the browser window and clicking the link in your confirmation email again. * You can enable live subtitles by clicking on the ‘CC’ button at the bottom of the video player. ‘CC’ stands for ‘Closed Captions’. * When you join the event, you may have to click on the sound icon at the bottom of the video to unmute the sound. If there is still no sound, please make sure that you have got your speakers turned up to full volume. * If you have a query that has not been answered above, please email us at [whatson@nationalarchives.gov.uk](mailto:whatson@nationalarchives.gov.uk) ### Watch after the event This talk will be available to watch after the event, using the same link you will receive to join it live. It will remain available for a limited period of 48 hours after the event has finished, unless otherwise stated. ## Speakers * ![](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/media/images/Michael_Ohajuru_Cred_GhOJ5uD.2e16d0ba.fill-128x128.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.bgcolor-fff.jpg) **Michael Ohajuru** Cultural historian and author Michael Ohajuru is the Project Director of The John Blanke Project: a contemporary art and archive project celebrating John Blanke, the Black trumpeter to the courts of Henry VII and Henry VIII. ## Help us improve this website [Complete our short survey (opens in new tab)](https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/DN07V0/?area=footer&source=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nationalarchives.gov.uk%2Fmd%2Fwhats-on%2Fevents%2Fjohn-blanke-the-black-tudor-trumpeter%2F) --- [Back to top](#top)