Today was our seventh day in Birmingham, and it was among the most insightful so far. We went on a Black Heritage Walk led by the excellent Marcia, who was easily one of the most knowledgeable and entertaining guides I’ve ever had. She knew much about Birmingham’s history and made the most minor details meaningful.

One of the first stops was the statue of Joseph Sturge, an anti-slavery abolitionist who bought land in Jamaica to create “Sturge Town,” a safe place for formerly enslaved people to live freely. I’d never heard of him, but learning that he made a refuge like that was powerful. Marcia pointed out that the statue hadn’t been cleaned in over 20 years, unlike others around the city, showing how some parts of history are still neglected.

She also discussed the importance of keeping statues up because they are history. All history tells a story, and all statues tell a story, so by keeping statues up (even the disturbing ones), a story is being told and people are learning about history. Unfortunately, you cannot erase the past, nor should you try to bury it.

That theme continued throughout the tour. At Pigeon Park, we visited the grave of General Barnaby. Marcia explained it marks a war the British lost to the Sudan, even though they had guns and the Sudanese had shields and knives. It’s a piece of history barely acknowledged, and Marcia used it to show how losses and uncomfortable truths often get buried. Interestingly, she shared that his grave stone is an African model, a tribute to his role in this battle and the result.

We also stopped at the “Golden Boys” statue, which included the figures of Matthew Boulton, James Watt, and William Murdoch, pioneers of the Industrial Revolution. Watt invented the steam engine, which I vaguely remembered from school, but Marcia gave it context. She emphasized how the British Empire didn’t disappear, but rebranded as the Commonwealth. It was a lot to think about, especially standing before a statue symbolizing power and invention.

After the walk, we visited the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. We’d only briefly been there earlier in the week, so exploring was great. One exhibit that stood out was The Elephant in the Room, which focused on what museums usually leave out — like who created the artifacts, how they were collected, and the stories behind them. This was interesting because you generally do not ponder how the artifacts were collected or the stories behind them; you only think about the information on the plaque before you.

We ended the day with dinner at Jamaya, a Jamaican restaurant. I’d never had Jamaican food before, but I did not want to try something unusual because my stomach tends to be sensitive. Instead, I had a fried chicken sandwich kids’ meal, which was amazing! It was just the right portion, and the chicken wasn’t seasoned too heavily, but still had flavor.

Overall, the day was fascinating. Marcia’s tour made me think differently about history, especially how much of it gets left out. I’m really looking forward to exploring Oxford tomorrow!