£238,999 lottery grant will ensure Northamptonshire's untold black history from the Summer of '76 is 'finally heard'

NREC will use the funding to deliver ‘Summer of '76: Black Youth United by Reggae, Heritage and Resistance’ to ensure the county’s Black Caribbean history is shared with future generations.

The project will recognise reggae, Rastafarian culture and black self-organisation, through oral histories, photographs, films, documents and community archives.

It will tell the story of the Matta Fancanta Collective, the vibrant Black youth movement that emerged during the late 1970s that occupied the former Salvation Army building in central Northampton.

Anjona Roy, chief executive of NREC, said: “We are thrilled to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players we will preserve and make this heritage accessible for future generations – helping young people today learn from this self-organisation and cultural expression which aimed to resist discrimination.”

The project will record the experiences of the county’s Black Caribbean communities who helped shape the cultural, social and political landscape.

Largely untold, stories of the young people who ‘built communities, challenged racism, created spaces of belonging through music and culture, and organised for equality’ will be recorded and recognised.

Summer of '76 will seek to preserve the memories of a generation whose experiences are at risk of being lost forever.

A spokesman for NREC said: “Importantly, this is not simply about preserving the past. The project will inspire today's young people by demonstrating how previous generations challenged injustice, built resilient communities and created lasting social change.

"By transforming these stories into educational resources, exhibitions, films, podcasts and community events, Summer of '76 will ensure that this heritage becomes part of Northamptonshire's shared history and a source of pride, understanding and inspiration for generations to come.

“Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, this investment represents a major recognition that Black history is Northamptonshire's history, and that preserving these voices is essential to telling the county's story in full.”

NREC is a registered charity that provides free advice and support to people facing hate crimes, discrimination or immigration issues and who live or work in Northamptonshire.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage, dedicated to supporting projects that connect people and communities to heritage. For more details go to heritagefund.org.uk.