Making History: Christian Cole, Alain Locke and Oscar Wilde at Oxford is an exhibition at Magdalen College's Longwall Library and a pan-Oxford event series that will be taking place this summer celebrating the lives of early pioneers of diversity at Oxford. It will focus on Oxford University’s first Black African undergraduate, Christian Cole; the first African-American Rhodes scholar, and midwife to the Harlem Renaissance, Alain Locke; and the great Irish wit and dandy, Oscar Wilde. These three were undergraduates at University, Hertford and Magdalen College, respectively. By drawing these exceptional men together, the exhibition highlights the surprising shared histories of Oxford’s Queer, Black and First Generation undergraduates. By showcasing rare archives, Making History allows the public a unique glimpse at the documents and drawings that bear witness to these remarkable young men’s lives and times.
The exhibition will run from May-October 2019 in the Longwall Library of Magdalen College, Oxford. It can be viewed by Magdalen College members and, for non-Magdalen members, by appointment with library@magd.ox.ac.uk. Curated by Elizabeth Adams (University College, Oxford) and Michèle Mendelssohn (Mansfield College, Oxford) in collaboration with Daryl Green (Magdalen College, Oxford). Based on Making Oscar Wilde by Michèle Mendelssohn.
As part of Making History, the curators have brought together an exciting programme of talks, events, and tours, the details of which can be seen below.
Making History: Exhibition Launch
Making History: Christian Cole, Alain Locke and Oscar Wilde at Oxford – Exhibition Launch Party and Salon with Michèle Mendelssohn, Elizabeth Adams, &c.
5.15pm-6.30pm, 9 May 2019, Magdalen College Auditorium
Attendance free, registration required: http://tinyurl.com/makinghistory9May
Making History: Alain Locke Memorial Lecture
Making History: Alain Locke Memorial Lecture with Donald Brown (Harvard)
5.00pm-6.30pm, 13 May 2019, Rhodes House
Attendance free, registration required: http://tinyurl.com/makinghistory13May
Making History: Lunchtime Discussion
Making History: Free Lunch and Discussion about Alain Locke’s Legacy with Serena Arthur, Oluchi Ezeh, Nicholas Gaskill (Oxford)
12.00pm-1.30pm, 30 May 2019, Hertford College
Attendance free, registration required: http://tinyurl.com/makinghistory30May
Making History: Black Oxford Walking Tour
Making History: Black Oxford Pioneers and Trailblazers walking tour with Blue Badge guide Angela Morgan
12pm-2pm & 5pm-7pm, 4 June 2019, starting at Magdalen College
Attendance free, registration required: http://tinyurl.com/makinghistory4June
Making History: Christian Cole Lecture
Making History: Christian Cole Lecture with Pamela Roberts, FRSA
6.00pm-7.00pm, 12 June, University College
Attendance free, registration required: http://tinyurl.com/makinghistory12June
Making History: Oscar Wilde Lecture
Lecture by Merlin Holland (Oscar Wilde’s grandson)
5.00pm-6.30pm, 19 October, Magdalen College
Registration for event not yet open