Past display
Bright Stars of Black British History
- Date
- 1 September to 31 December 2024
- Price
- Free
About Bright Stars of Black British History
This display featured three inspirational figures who have left a lasting mark on our collective history.
It was inspired by the popular book Bright Stars of Black British History by Joanna Williams and Angela Vives, which contains the stories and illustrations on display.
Visitors could learn more about John Blanke, a musician in the court of Henry VIII, Mary Price, an enslaved woman who escaped and published her own life story, and Dr Harold Moody, a civil rights leader.
Plan your visit
What is The National Archives?
The National Archives is the official archive of the UK government, and England and Wales. We are the guardians of over 1,000 years of iconic national documents.
Everyone is welcome to visit our headquarters in Kew. We put on exhibitions, events and displays and offer reading rooms giving access to our collections there.
Getting here
The National Archives is located by the River Thames in Kew, 30 minutes from Central London. We offer advice on travelling to us by car, bike, train or bus.
Children and families
We provide a warm welcome to visitors of all ages, including children and family groups.
- Free activity sheets (for ages 1+) are available from the Time Travel Club trolley in our entrance hall
- Our café is child-friendly and there are picnic benches outside
- Prams and buggies are welcome, and we have a buggy park
- Baby changing facilities are located by our entrance hall, at the top of the main stairs, and in the library
- Emergency supplies of nappies and wipes are available
Eat and drink
We have a café and coffee bar provided by Maids of Honour, a historic local tea room and bakery. It has spacious indoor and outside seating and a soft play area.
On the menu is a variety of high-quality lunchtime meals, sandwiches, snacks, soft drinks, tea and coffee. Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements are all catered to.
Buy the book
Bright Stars of Black British History is available to buy in our shop on site and online.
