Redefining collective heritage, identities, and belonging : Colonial statues in the times of Black Lives Matter

Abstract

The death of George Floyd in May 2020 sparked a wave of protests across the United States, Europe, and beyond. This chapter investigates the protest in Bristol that lead to the fall of the statue of Edward Colston from the perspective of cultural heritage and belonging. I analyze online debates provoked by the protest – both for and against Colston – and compare them to the history of heritagization around Colston. There is a longstanding tension between heritage narratives that positions Colston as a local philanthropist and the more recent viewpoints that highlight his role in the transatlantic slave trade. As the analysis shows, this tension is mirrored both in the ways Colston’s name and image have been transcribed to Bristolian landscapes and in the debates that emerged after the statue was forcibly taken down by protesters. In this context, the fall of Colston can be perceived as an attempt to demand public recognition and space for Bristolians, whose belonging had been marginalized by earlier heritage practices around Colston.