The experience was so good I had to go back a second time. It was rare for an exhibition to speak to me, as an African, in a way that was intellectual and drew on a period of history where resistance and self-determination were central to the story.
Yes, I am referring to the Emory Douglas: Black Panther Party exhibition, which is still running at Urbis in Manchester. And yes, I gave it the thumbs up in a review in last month's Museums Journal. But there is more to be said.
In the UK, people of African descent are starved of access to their past through coherent exhibitions such as the one at Urbis. Museums are full of African artefacts and have galleries dedicated to the subject, but the stories that many of the objects tell need to be pieced together by visitors, who may come with few tools to do so.
I am happy that the European trade of enslaved Africans is a permanent fixture in select museums - but it is the obvious suspect - largely told as a story of subjugation by the British empire.
On my second visit to the Emory Douglas exhibition, I discovered some like-minded people. Visitors, mainly Mancunians, who were coming back again, with delight on their faces to see their stories told. I say their stories for good reason. African Brits are more likely to relate to African American history than the history of Manchester or Leeds.
But it's not just African Brits who have delighted in this exhibition. The figures speak for themselves. Urbis reports that it is on schedule to become its second-most visited show (it closes on 19 April). And Sharon Heal, the editor of Museums Journal, said it is one of the best exhibitions she has seen in a long time.
An extension to the exhibition looks out of the question but Urbis hasn't given up on the show touring. So far, no UK museum has come forward. Why? London is an obvious choice. It would be perfect for a venue such as the Victoria and Albert Museum. It would be a sure-fire winner and bring in new audiences too.
Yes, I am referring to the Emory Douglas: Black Panther Party exhibition, which is still running at Urbis in Manchester. And yes, I gave it the thumbs up in a review in last month's Museums Journal. But there is more to be said.
In the UK, people of African descent are starved of access to their past through coherent exhibitions such as the one at Urbis. Museums are full of African artefacts and have galleries dedicated to the subject, but the stories that many of the objects tell need to be pieced together by visitors, who may come with few tools to do so.
I am happy that the European trade of enslaved Africans is a permanent fixture in select museums - but it is the obvious suspect - largely told as a story of subjugation by the British empire.
On my second visit to the Emory Douglas exhibition, I discovered some like-minded people. Visitors, mainly Mancunians, who were coming back again, with delight on their faces to see their stories told. I say their stories for good reason. African Brits are more likely to relate to African American history than the history of Manchester or Leeds.
But it's not just African Brits who have delighted in this exhibition. The figures speak for themselves. Urbis reports that it is on schedule to become its second-most visited show (it closes on 19 April). And Sharon Heal, the editor of Museums Journal, said it is one of the best exhibitions she has seen in a long time.
An extension to the exhibition looks out of the question but Urbis hasn't given up on the show touring. So far, no UK museum has come forward. Why? London is an obvious choice. It would be perfect for a venue such as the Victoria and Albert Museum. It would be a sure-fire winner and bring in new audiences too.
