Jody Burton

Recaping the end of 2025, walking slowly onto 2026 with gratitude & 'Feeling Good!' Nov 25 - an inspiring evening celebrating the former 'Spread the Word (STW),' their 30 years of championing new writers, & their renamed @londonwriterscentre It was a lovely reminder of the challenges & pleasures of the writing journey & prod to keep writing... After two co-author works; Black London, History Art and Culture in Over 120 Places & The Black History London Map, I had the opportunity to write & present at Deptford Literature Festival; The Black History Walking Tour of Deptford 2023 & Deptford Dockyard's Buried History 2024 with STW. The last couple of years have been a new chapter in writing for children. The goal this year is submitting & getting the work out there! In-between my librarian job & writing, I love art & creating. Dec 25- I attended a fantastic 'Health and Wellbeing' workshop @bcaheritage Run by Paula @tapestry_of_black_britons Mary Seacole - mixed media collage; photocopy, tissue paper, fabric, felt pens, ink & finished the green background at home with crayons & pastels. It's always worth popping into the Tate gallery @lambeth_libraries next door to the BCA. This exhibition by @martingrover__ made me smile! Nov 25 - A fun afternoon @lewishamlibraries exploring all things Zines at the Lewisham Community Zine Library Launch. I was a late comer to Zines, and I especially love the 1 page format. I created this 'Home' themed Zine for @the_rockretreat See IG post, 'Home- Where are you really from?' 13 Sept 2025. It looks at the Black British History of Deptford, south east London, where I grew up. & now it's been added to the library's Zine collection! Big thanks to the library staff & Hamja @diyzinebank @zine.mela Wishing everyone the best in 2026!! Keep on creating & writing! #zinelibrary #zinester #londonwriterscentre #blackbritishwriters #blackbritishauthors

Great to be invited by the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm to an interesting morning @museumoflondon and the announcement of a new memorial in London dedicated to victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Lovely to see both Black London book & the Black History London Map available in their shop! There's a really good diverse selection of books for adults and children. Just finished @lizzie_and_belle so brilliant to meet the author, like Blackman's @malorie_blackman classic 'Noughts & Crosses' this historical fiction book will transport you to Georgian London & appeals across ages! @blacklondon21 @mayorofldn @bluecrowmaps #blacklondonmap #blackbritain #blackbritishhistory

Check out the Autumn 2021 issue of your local Lewisham Life magazine for BHM news and more... /black-history-month @iamlewisham @lewishamledger @catfordchronicle @houseoflewisham @houseofcatford

All things books, past & present!! I attended an interesting conference in celebration of the Black British figure Ignatius Sancho (1729-80). Sancho's letters were published in London in 1782. The event was held at the American, Northeastern University @mappingblacklondon @thesanchoproject The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho (2022) by @patersondjoseph Thanks for the IS sticker! @mynubian_london Love this AI trend of bringing past figures to life @jasonmation I'd recommend "My Name is Book" by poet John Agard. Part poetry, part reflections, it charts the evolution of words, books & everything in-between... Did you attend the Deptford Literature Festival? @londonwriterscentre I went to 2 excellent events: 1. South London in Fiction Which included author @lisa4884smith Her novel 'Jamaica Road' has been added to the ever growing 2 read list! @goldsmithsenglish 2. Navigating Culture: Black Male Writers in Britain Today. @derekvsowusu Derek's earlier work 'That Reminds Me' is the Black Voices Book Club choice this month. Do drop in on Saturday 25th April 12-1pm. At Una Marson Library, 62 Thurlow Street, London, SE17 2GN. #blackbritishhistory #blackbritishauthors #blackbritishbooks

In this National Year of Reading, an all book, writers & publishing related post... A lovely evening celebrating & commemorating the late Writer Alex Wheatle & the launch of the Black Interest Core Collection @lambeth_libraries Poet, Broadcaster & Activist, Una Marson's work is included in the Lambeth collection. This is her birthday month & a free screening of the drama documentary of her time at the BBC in the 1940s will be shown at The Una Marson Library on Saturday, 28th February at 2pm. For further information, check @blacklondon21 Or Una Marson birthday link in bio @southwarkcouncil The Black Voices Book Club at UM Library ended 2025 with our book of the year - the fabulous 'The Black Birds of St Giles ' @lilacainbooks @marxia1 @kateagriffin We started 2026 with 'Black Joy' & in this month of love, we'll be discussing 'A Murder for Miss Hortense' by @mel_pennant Saturday 28th 12-1 Drop-in UM Library 62 Thurlow Street SE17 2GN The classic 2016 'The Good Immigrant' is the book club choice for Saturday, 21st March. Commemorating the recent passing of the Activist, Educator & Publisher, Eric Huntley (1929-2026). The 20th Annual Huntley Conference will be held this Saturday, 21st February. @huntleyarchives #blackbritishhistory #blackwriters ##blackbritishauthors

A Day in the Life of a Librarian! Besides lots of floor walking...10 years +, being a librarian is a bibliophiles dream job! It's a varied role from processing the circulation of books, interacting with a diverse range of library users, baby & toddlers to book club readers... Libraries provide a 3rd space & place for everyone in the community. It would be great to see more men generally and more black men, specifically in library posts! One of my earliest childhood memories is being in my local library -Deptford @lewishamlibraries This fuelled a love of words and laid the foundation for writing... Keep on reading! Una Marson books: Calling Una Marson @junesarpo @jenniobidike UM Selected Poems @a.j.donnell What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama #michikoaoyama @southwarkcouncil #unamarsonlibrary #unamarson #blacklibrarians #southwark #library

A joyous recap of Black Culture in September & October... 1. My sisters and I captured at Black on the Square @mayorofldn & by @luvfashionistagal 2. I attended the 5th Annual Black Writers Guild. Each year, it gets bigger & better. A great range of talks, socialising & networking! What a pleasure to be in a space buzzing with creativity. The BWG really needs a UK Instagram platform to amplify its work!!! A gentle nudge to... @nelsabbey @shar_love_ @bernardineevaristo 3. An uplifting evening of BHM celebrations with my sister at City Hall @mayorofldn It was great to meet some new & familiar faces from community & creative fields inc @berthramhall ...& to mingle, munch & listen to some inspirational voices, including the mayor & and deputy mayor for communities & and social justice @debbie.wb 4. @bbbookfestival @theselinabrown The Black British Book Festival has stamped its place on the London Literature scene! I was an exhibitor in 2023, with half a table! The fabulous book place market provides a much needed platform for black self-published & traditionally published writers. Plus, some great talks, lots of authors, illustrators, publishing people & networking etc. It was good to see children catered for, too. Representation matters 365! 5. Big up to all the libraries for their BHM events for October & beyond...I just love The Front Room! This one by @tonyfairweather_ is touring & popped up @lewishamlibraries I'll follow up with a much needed post on black books later... Keep on keeping on! #blacklondon #blackbritain #blackbritishauthors #blackbritishhistory #representationmatters #blackbritishbookfestival #bhm #bhmuk

National Poetry Day & BHM25! Celebrating Jamaican born Una Marson (1905-1965), Poet, Playwright, Equalities campaigner & 1st Black BBC Broadcaster in 1940s. The Test (in the entrance of Una Marson Library) A poem for our time... The test of true culture Is the ability To move among men East or West North or South With ease & confidence Radiating the pure light Of a kindly humanity Saturday 25th October 12-1.30pm - Library Tour & Black Voices Book Club (any UM book choice) drop in-all welcome! 62 Thurlow Street, SE17 2GN. #unamarson #unamarsonlibrary #southwark #blackbritishhistory I picked up the Children’s book, 'Black All Around' at a local charity shop & love the illustrations & poetry. Black... The letters that live on each page of a book. The hole in the ground That's a little mole's nook. The gleaming paint on a limousine. The braided hair of a stately queen... Author Patricia Hubbell (1928-2022) Illustrations Don Tate #devas_t #nationalpoetryday

It was lovely to see this beautiful installation of 'Home' themed zines by Ellie @the_rockretreat @icalondon (Part of this weekend's Artist Book fair) Also, it was great to have contributed to it, alongside my Illustrator sister @ruthineburton Sadly, due to the far right protest, 2 sisters couldn't get through the blockade to attend. The four of us managed to meet up, (one sister joined the anti-protester march en route). It felt uncomfortable walking the streets of London. There was a clear demarcation of Londoners, visitors & anti-protesters of all hues V's an arrogant, hateful white minority. It brought back echoes of the NF... It is also a reminder that we all have the right to take our place & space in Our City... #blacklondon @standuptoracismuk #standuptoracism @writersofcolour #deptford #deptfordhistory #lewisham

Some June highlights... Great to meet some inspirational & creative heroines & heroes 1. First visit & real life meeting with stone carver @marciabennettmale at Thames-side studios, Woolwich Her work has left landmarks across London & beyond... 2. Oral History workshop @spreadthewordwriters Finally got to meet Joan Anim-Addo, author of Longest Journey, A History of Black Lewisham. This seminal book was a major stepping stone into my own journey of Black British history. 3. The educational charity @windrushfoundation Event in Lewisham with co- founder Arthur Torrington celebrating 30 years. Entertainment included poet extraordinaire, the one & only John Agard. #blackbritain #blacklondon #windrush #windrushgeneration

Two really interesting book events last month. My reading list is growing... Lost and Found, an A-Z of neglected writers of the Anglophone Caribbean by @a.j.donnell @papillotepress It was a pleasure to visit the @dominica_high_commission for the first time. In conversation with writer @moniqueroffey Beyond the Secret Garden, Racially Minoritised People in British Children’s Books by @rapclassroom and Karen S O'Connor @engmediacentre Held at the celebrated Black Book shop established in 1966 @newbeaconbooks In conversation with writer @kandacechimbiri #blackbooks

My contribution to the @whoisjohnblanke by @michael1952 This important figure in Black British history has been bought to life & this book is out now! #johnblanke #johnblankeproject What a lovely celebration & launch at The College of Arms, which holds the tournament roll featuring the image of the Black Tudor trumpeter John Blanke. @james_peill And what a big, bold, beautiful coffee table book, packed with stories, essays, poetry, photos, and drawings from a collection of over 100 creatives, artists, poets & historians, each reimagining JB. #blackbritain #blackbritishhistory #blacktudors