Seeking the Pioneers: Routes of Resistance
After two years of planning and dedication, we are proud to unveil the Seeking the Pioneers exhibition on 6th October. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, this project celebrates the powerful history of local race activism from the 1940s to the present day.
At BRIG, our goal has been to honour the stories of Birmingham’s pioneering activists and to inspire the next generation to continue the fight against racism. By sharing these voices, we aim to ensure their legacy lives on and empowers future changemakers.
As we prepare for the launch, we would like to thank the National Lottery Heritage Fund for supporting and funding this important project, as well as all the creatives and artists who helped turn this vision into a reality. Most importantly, we thank the remarkable men and women of Birmingham who generously shared their time and stories, allowing us to preserve and showcase their powerful experiences of activism and anti-racism.
Visit the exhibition and tell us who else should be recognised as part of the City’s anti-racist history. If you want to learn more about the project and want to become a ‘Race History Detective’? Please get in touch by emailing ibrar@wearebrig.co.uk.
We encourage all communities, families and young people to visit the exhibition to learn from Birmingham’s continuing Anti-Racist story and overcome the racial tension our diverse city is confronted with. The exhibition launches on 6th October at the Library of Birmingham and will be open to the public until November.
Seeking the Pioneers: Routes of Resistance
Birmingham’s untold legacy of activism – new exhibition explores 80 years of solidarity and the fight for racial justice
“We are here because you were there.” — A. Sivanandan
Birmingham, 6 October 2025 – A major new exhibition celebrating Birmingham’s role in the fight for racial justice opens at the Library of Birmingham on 6 October 2025.
Seeking the Pioneers: Routes of Resistance tells the stories of 100 individuals and groups who have challenged racism — and continue to — from the 1940s to today.
Created by the Birmingham Race Impact Group (BRIG) with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the exhibition builds on the success of last year’s debut at the BRIG Café during Black History Month. Through striking portraits and testimonies, the showcase sheds light on a long-standing history of activism that continues to shape Birmingham’s ambition to become an anti-racist city.
Curated by Mukhtar Dar (cultural activist, artist, and archivist), with photography by Johnathan Williams and Paul McKenzie, the exhibition reveals the journeys of those who have placed Birmingham and the West Midlands at the heart of the UK’s anti-racist movement.
“These stories are etched in acts of defiance. Now more than ever, with street racism on the rise and the threat posed by the far-right, these pioneers stand as examples of courage, vision, and hope. Their journeys continue to shape our future and remind us that resistance takes many forms.”
— Mukhtar Dar, Exhibition Curator
“At times, we’ve had difficult conversations, as pioneers shared painful personal realities they’ve faced overcoming racism. Yet their resilience continues to inspire and sustain us. This exhibition is part of our commitment to making Birmingham an anti-racist city by 2035.”
— Ranjit Sondhi, Chair, BRIG
Exhibition Details
Dates: From 6 October 2025 until November 2025
Location: Library of Birmingham foyer, Centenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2ND
Admission: Free entry
Visitors can scan QR codes by each portrait to discover more about the pioneers
About BRIG
The Birmingham Race Impact Group (BRIG) is a consortium of activists and academics promoting racial justice in Birmingham. Formed in response to inequalities exposed by COVID-19 and the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement, BRIG documents the contributions of Black, Asian, and Global Majority campaigners over the last 80 years and supports the next generation of activists.
More information: www.wearebrig.co.uk
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the UK’s largest funder for heritage, supporting projects that connect people and communities to the past. Guided by its strategic plan, Heritage 2033, the Fund will invest £3.6 billion over the next 10 years to ensure heritage is valued, cared for, and sustained for future generations.
Learn more at heritagefund.org.uk. Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLottery #HeritageFund
For media enquiries, interviews, and more about Seeking the Pioneers, please contact:
Ruchi Tandon ruchitandy@hotmail.com | 07786 727182