Nubian Jak Community Trust

Nubian Jak Community Trust is a commemorative plaque and sculpture scheme run and managed by the Nubian Jak Trust Ltd. The plaque and sculpture scheme was established in 2006, before being taken over and run by the not-for profit organization, Nubian Jak Trust Ltd in August 2016. The remit of the Nubian Jak Trust Ltd is to commemorate and celebrate the diverse history of modern Britain. Its objectives include the promotion of social equality and to encourage activities which promote cultural diversity in society.

Overview

The Trust was founded by Jak Beula and works in partnership with educational groups, cultural institutions, local government, and public and private sector organizations. Its activities include exhibitions, seminars, workshops, and learning programs, as well as managing a national plaque and sculpture scheme. The scheme, which is the only one of its kind in Europe, highlights BME presence in Britain by commemorating individuals who have made a recognisable contribution to the nation. These individuals (mostly deceased) are either nominated by members of the public, or recommended by a special panel within the Trust, to receive a commemorative plaque. One of the most famous plaques of recent years, is the Bob Marley Blue Plaque^[1] which the Nubian Jak Community Trust did in partnership with the Mayor of London in October 2006. It was the first commemorative event organised by the Nubian Jak Community Trust, as well as also being County Hall’s first ever blue plaque. The installation of the Bob Marley plaque was filmed as a feature for a 90-minute Arena documentary aired on BBC1 the following October called Bob Marley: Exodus 77^[2]

The next three Nubian Jak Community Trust plaques were installed as part of the bicentenary commemoration for the British abolition of the Slave Trade Act 1807.

The first of the plaques installed in 2007 had a public ceremony unveiling inside Luton Town Hall in February 2007. The Luton Bicentary Plaque^[3] is now installed on the outside of Luton Central Library in Central Square.

This was followed by the historic plaque to Ignatius Sancho^[4] erected on Her Majesties Foreign Office in October 2007. It is the only black plaque in Whitehall. A couple of weeks later, another Nubian Jak Community Trust bronze plaque was installed on Senate House, part of the University of London, to Bermuda born abolitionist and author, Mary Prince.^[5] To date, the Nubian Jak Community Trust Plaque Scheme has installed 36 commemorative plaques around the UK.

Nubian Jak Community Trust Plaques 2006 -Present

• British West Indies Regiment Seaford Plaques x 2, November 2015 ^[6]
• Sidney Bechet Plaque: November 2014 ^[7]
• Walter Tull Plaque: October 2014 ^[8]
• George Africanus Plaque: October 2014 ^[9]
• Dr John Alcindor Plaque: July 2014 ^[10]
• Laurie Cunningham Plaque: October 2013 ^[11]
• Pete Robinson Plaque: July 2013 ^[12]
• Stephen Lawrence Anniversary Plaque: June 2013 ^[13]
• Frank Bates Plaque: June 2007 ^[14]
• Frederick Douglas Plaque: February 2013 ^[15]
• Samuel Coleridge Taylor Plaque: December 2012 ^[16]
• Bernie Grant MP Plaque: October 2012 ^[17]
• Sir Arthur Wint Plaque: October 2012 ^[18]
• Leslie Palmer Plaque: August 2012 ^[19]
• Russell Henderson Plaque: August 2012 ^[20]
• Dennis Brown Plaque: April 2012 ^[21]
• Malcom X Plaque: February 2012 ^[22]
• Frank Critchlow Plaque: December 2011 ^[23]
• Claudia Jones Plaque: August 2011 ^[24]
• Rhaune Laslette Plaque: August 2011 ^[25]
• George Padmore Plaque: June 2011 ^[26]
• New Cross Fire Plaque: January 2011 ^[27]
• Mayor John Archer Plaque: December 2010 ^[28]
• Rudy Naryan Plaque: November 2010 ^[29]
• Lord Leary Constantine Plaque: September 2010 ^[30]
• ANC Nelson Mandela Anniversary Plaque: February 2010 ^[31]
• Amy Ashwood Garvey: November 2009 ^[32]
• Kelso Cochrane Plaque: May 2009 ^[33]
• Claudia Jones Plaque x 2 (Bronze and Blue): August 2008 ^[34]
• Connie Mark Plaque: May 2008^[35]
• Mary Prince Plaque (Bronze): October 2007^[36]
• Ignatius Sancho Plaque (Stone): October 2007^[37]
• Luton Bicentenary Plaque: February 2007^[38]
• Bob Marley Plaque: October 2006^[39]

On Armistice 2014, as part of the 4-year centenary commemorating World War I, the Nubian Jak Community Trust temporarily unveiled Britain’s first dedicated African and Caribbean War Memorial to servicemen and women from Africa and the Caribbean, who served alongside Britain and the Allied Forces during World War I and World War II. (36). The memorial was temporarily displayed at the Black Cultural Archives in Brixton. The African and Caribbean War Memorial will be permanently installed on London’s Windrush Square, on 22 June 2017 (Windrush Day).

References