Keep Smiling Through

An exhibition exploring the contributions made by Black Londoners during the Second World War.

From Air Raid Precaution wardens to popular entertainers, Black Londoners carried out a variety of tasks on the Home Front during the Second World War. This exhibition will uncover stories from South London and beyond, exploring both the positive and negative experiences of Black Londoners from 1939 to 1945 through rare photographs, music and film clips.

The exhibition reveals the voluntary roles on the Home Front of ordinary Black men and women. It will tell stories of wartime courage, hardship and service to the community. It also shows how bombing, evacuation and rationing affected Black people.

Discover the story of community leaders such as Dr Harold Moody, a Peckham-based doctor, who became an ambassador for Britain's Black community and a founding member of the League of Coloured Peoples. Learn about the role musicians and singers like Adelaide Hall and Ken "Snakehips" Johnson played in keeping up London's morale during the Blitz.

The exhibition also reveals how Caribbean and African Commonwealth countries contributed to the war effort.