Next Steps for Black British Literary Salons Project

By Kaysyn Jones, Florida State University

I am writing what I believe to be the first profile of the Black Ink Collective’s literature and artistic policies, and the way in which the Collective crafted a distinct Black British identity through their work.

I hope that this research will shine more light on both the potential of studying writing collectives in contemporary history and the fascinating position of Black British writers during the British Black Arts Movement of the 1980s and 1990s.

I believe that I have been able to demonstrate the intentional and specific ways in which the Black Ink Collective articulated Black British identity through its published literature and within the group itself. On the level of personal impact, this experience has truly allowed me to push myself to new places and skill levels in my research. When my primary archive closed down for the remainder of my time in London, I was able to pivot in the direction of my work and find a new way forward.

When I began, I was surprised to find a gap in existing research when it came to the literature of the British Black Arts Movement. Very little has been written about Black British novels from this time period as part of a larger articulated movement. My entry into this niche will ideally fill part of that gap, which deserves to be more thoroughly explored. While there has been historical research on the more prominent publishing houses and literary papers written on individual novels, plays, and short fiction, I aim to fuse these different approaches in order to get a more comprehensive picture of a contemporary Black British literary salon.

I hope that my research inspires other scholars to more deeply investigate more contemporary sites of artistic collaboration and their impacts on cultural movements, especially when it comes to the written— or spoken— word.

I am incredibly excited to immerse myself in the writing stage of my Honors in the Major project now that I’m back on campus. I anticipate that my participation in the Presidents’ Showcase in the fall will give me the opportunity to refine my ideas as I continue to work on my paper.

I am using my writing from this experience as my writing sample for my graduate school applications.  I will be applying to doctorate programs in history this semester. My work on this project has reaffirmed my desire to move directly into pursuing a Ph.D., as I feel confident in the subject matter that continues to motivate and excite me.

I will defend my Honors in the Major in the spring, which this research is supporting!

Thank you for following along with my journey.