Project Vision and Goals

Project Vision:

The “Soro Soke – Essex Black Diasporains Oral History Project” envisions a future where the voices, histories, and cultural legacies of older Black diasporic men in Essex are fully recognized, preserved, and celebrated as a vital part of British heritage.

The Over 50s Black Men Forum (O5BM), the organisation behind the project, aims to challenge the historical silence around Black lives in Essex by amplifying personal stories that have often been overlooked or excluded from mainstream narratives. These oral histories will not only preserve cultural memory but will also serve as a catalyst for education, empathy, intergenerational connection, and social inclusion.

“Soro Soke” (which means “Speak Up” in Yoruba) is more than a name—it is a call to action, urging a historically unheard generation to speak their truths, to be seen, and to be remembered.

Project Goals:

1. Capturing Untold Stories

• To record and preserve personal oral histories of Black diasporic men over the age of 50 living in Essex.
• To ensure that their voices, life experiences, cultural practices, and migration journeys are documented in their own words.

2. Celebrating Cultural Heritage

• To explore and highlight the diversity within the Black diaspora—including Nigerian, Cameroonian, Rwandan, and other backgrounds—and how these cultures have evolved within the UK context.
• To honour traditions and resilience while reflecting on the challenges and successes of life in the diaspora.

3. Building a Digital Legacy

• To create a publicly accessible digital archive of interviews, transcripts, and multimedia content that will be preserved at the Essex Record Office and Audio clips made available through the Over 50s Black Men Forum’s Oral History digital platforms.
• To ensure this resource is available to future generations, researchers, educators, and the wider public.

4. Fostering Intergenerational Dialogue

• To bridge generational divides by enabling younger members of the Black community—especially Black British youth born in Essex—to understand and connect with the lived experiences of their elders.
• To cultivate identity, pride, and cultural continuity through storytelling.

5. Promoting Community Inclusion and Understanding

• To foster empathy, challenge stereotypes, and build bridges between communities by sharing authentic stories and human experiences.
• To engage the wider Essex community in a celebration of diversity and mutual respect.

6. Influencing Historical and Cultural Narratives

• To fill a significant gap in local and national archives where Black British and diasporic voices have historically been underrepresented.
• To contribute to a more inclusive and accurate representation of British history.

7. Supporting Organisational Sustainability

• To enhance the long-term capacity of the Over 50s Black Men Forum to deliver cultural, educational, and advocacy projects through skills development, partnership building, and visibility.

Our “Soro Soke,” oral history project not only preserves stories but also reclaims space in the historical record for a community that has long contributed to the social, cultural, and economic life of Essex—and whose stories are vital to the UK’s collective memory.