The Windrush Human Library Workshops were a community heritage project delivered by Opal22 in partnership with Leicester Libraries and community advocate Marcia Brown. Designed to connect primary school children with members of the Windrush Generation, the project created meaningful opportunities for young people to learn directly from those who experienced one of the most significant chapters in modern British history.
Hosted across several Leicester schools and libraries, the workshops encouraged conversation, curiosity and creativity. Rather than learning solely through textbooks, pupils explored history through personal stories, discovering what it was like to travel to Britain as children, build new lives, and contribute to the communities that shape Leicester today.
ABOUT THE EVENT
Inspired by the idea of a Human Library, each workshop invited children to listen, ask questions and engage in conversations with Windrush elders. Through these first-hand accounts, pupils learned about the journey to Britain, the belongings families packed for the voyage, the challenges they encountered, and the resilience, determination and community spirit that helped them build new lives.
The project was delivered in partnership with schools including Stokes Wood Primary School and Spinney Hill Primary School, alongside Leicester Libraries, creating welcoming spaces where different generations could learn from one another.
Alongside the conversations, pupils took part in creative activities, producing symbolic suitcases inspired by the stories they had heard. Filled with drawings, writing and reflections, these artworks captured the memories, hopes and experiences shared during the workshops. The completed suitcases were later displayed in Leicester Libraries, extending the project beyond the classroom and encouraging wider audiences to engage with the stories of the Windrush Generation.
By combining oral history with creative expression, the workshops demonstrated how storytelling can preserve heritage while helping younger generations develop a deeper understanding of identity, migration and belonging.
WHY THIS PROJECT MATTERS
The Windrush Human Library Workshops celebrate the power of lived experience as a form of education. By bringing together children and Windrush elders, the project preserved personal histories that are often absent from traditional historical narratives while encouraging empathy, curiosity and intergenerational understanding.
Through storytelling, creativity and conversation, the project strengthened connections between communities and ensured that the legacy of the Windrush Generation continues to be shared with future generations.
