Black Lives Matter Protest in the Isle of Man

Despite the two month Island lock-down and Government imposed social distancing guidelines, over 1,000 members of the Island’s community showed solidarity by attending the Black Lives Matter protest in Douglas on 9 June 2020.

Organiser Benard Mensah said it ‘burst’ the idea the Island was racism-free and hoped it would start an open discussion. The Island’s Chief Constable said protesting was ‘a fundamental human right’ and we have to show that 'enough is enough'. This was history in the making.

Rapid Response Collecting has expanded significantly in recent years as museums gather contemporary material evidence for the future. The Black Lives Matter protest in the Isle of Man gave us the opportunity to record the Island’s response to a global movement.

The objects collected came with their material challenges. Conservation of objects increases the stability or durability of an object. Conservation and preservation aims to decrease the rate of deterioration and increase the longevity of an object for future research. 

The Hardy Commission challenges racism ‘and the hateful ideologies it thrives upon by imploring our leaders to take action’. Manx National Heritage is keen to reflect the important work the Commission is doing in the Isle of Man in the nation's collections.

As well as collecting, Manx National Heritage as an Accredited Museum supports the UK Museums Association joint statement to end racism in the heritage sector.

Read the Joint Statement

"We will be telling the story of the time our little island stood to make a difference in such a big world for a long time...We have to change and show people that it’s not ok to be ignorant to the racism that is happening here. As a community we can fight and show racists that it is they who are unwelcome in our home on the Isle of Man."  (Olivia Toombs, Neve Johnstone and Elisha Harvey, BLM Protesters)