Photo Obtained from British Library Website

Bernardine Evaristo will chair “Black Women Speak Volumes Between Generations” at the British Library’s Pigott Theatre in March 2026.

The evening will celebrate the launch of two books that center the often-overlooked experiences of older Black women. The event brings together novelist Yvvette Edwards, creative entrepreneur Joy Francis, and broadcaster and author Andi Oliver for a conversation about storytelling, legacy, and the necessity of amplifying diverse voices in fraught political times. Organized by Speaking Volumes Live Literature Productions and funded by The Heritage Fund and Coastal Carolina University, the program responds to historian Bettany Hughes’ observation that women constitute 50% of the population but occupy only 0.5% of recorded history.

The evening launches Edwards’ tragi-comic novel good, good loving and Francis’ Challenging Britannia, which features interviews with seven groundbreaking older Black women in the arts: Paulette Randall, Valerie Bloom, Ingrid Pollard, Sharon Watson, Anni Domingo, Verna Wilkins, and Dominique Le Gendre. Both books counter the erasure of Black women’s contributions to British cultural life, with Edwards offering fictional narrative and Francis providing documentary testimony. The event includes music from Le Gendre and film clips from Francis’ interviews, creating a multimedia experience that honors these women’s artistic and activist work across decades.

Evaristo’s involvement signals the intergenerational dimension of the project, as the Booker Prize-winning author has spent her career excavating hidden Black British histories through novels like Girl, Woman, Other and Mr Loverman. Her presence alongside Edwards, Francis, and Oliver, each representing different approaches to storytelling and cultural production, positions the event as both celebration and intervention. The panel format allows for conversation about how Black women’s stories are told, who gets to tell them, and what strategies are necessary to ensure these narratives reach audiences and archives.

The event exemplifies how literary spaces can become sites of historical correction, ensuring that contemporary and future generations inherit a more complete archive of Black women’s creative and intellectual labor. Tickets are already selling fast for the March event, which runs from 19:00 to 20:30, with doors and bar opening at 18:00. Standard tickets cost £12. Purchase yours here.