NEW! For #BlackHistoryMonth I bring you the story of the parishioner of North Elmham. Buried in the cathedral cemetery over 1000 years ago, she was a Black woman who lived, worshiped and died in an early medieval English community. She's pictured here celebrating Palm Sunday. 1/

When the excavation report about her was published in 1980, the archaeologists used shockingly racist language to describe her: dusky Venus, little black pearl, a living Fabergé jewel. But the people who buried her in the shade of their church saw her as a fellow Christian. 2/

It's possible she or her ancestors arrived in England as slaves, but it's JUST as possible that they didn't. She was buried the same as any free member of the community. The loved ones she left behind (a husband, children?) looked forward to the day they'd be reunited with her 3/

in Heaven after the Resurrection. Black people have been coming to Britain since at least the Roman era. They came as soldiers, merchants, pilgrims, slaves, and even bishops. Whether or not she was born in North Elmham, this parishioner was part of its community of faith. 4/

You can read more about her on the Women of 1000 website: https://womenof1000ad.weebly.com/parishioner-of-north-elmham.html 5/

The Resources section has many links where you can learn more about Black people in medieval British history & the way that the early medieval English past is still weaponized against scholars of colour & other POC both in Britain and abroad. 6/

I'd especially like to highlight the work of @ISASaxonists who is cited several times in that section. She has worked tirelessly and often thanklessly to spread awareness of these issues. Her work and general awesomeness inspired me to draw this. 7/

With one estimate of people of African origin in medieval Britain sitting at 13% (see citation for @caitlinrgreen on the website), we NEED more reconstruction art for this period to showcase the truth of medieval English history: It's Black people's history too. 8/end