The Wake selected as the Memorial to Victims of Transatlantic Slavery

• The Wake by Khaleb Brooks has been selected as the new Memorial to Victims of Transatlantic Slavery
• The new memorial – the first of its kind in the UK – will be located in West India Quay and feature a seven-metre cowrie shell
• Announcement made on the UNESCO International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced that The Wake by Khaleb Brooks has been selected as the Memorial to Victims of Transatlantic Slavery.

The new memorial will be the first of its scale and profile in the UK and will be located in West India Quay in London Docklands – an area whose history is closely linked with transatlantic slavery.

London played a key role in the organisation and funding of transatlantic slavery, but while there are numerous statues and buildings reflecting the wealth and power created by the trade in enslaved African people and monuments to commemorate the abolition, there is little to remember the millions of African people who were enslaved.

Announced on the UNESCO International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, the new memorial will feature a nearly seven-metre-high bronze cowrie shell. Cowrie shells hold cultural and spiritual significance, but became a stark symbol of slavery and the exploitation of human life as currency. The Wake acknowledges that dark past but also reclaims the cowrie shell as a symbol of resilience, creating a space for contemplation and reflection.

There will also be a number of smaller shells installed at other locations that have connections to the trade of enslaved people, recognising that the legacy of transatlantic slavery is still present the capital.

Khaleb’s work was chosen from a shortlist of six proposals by an Artistic Advisory Panel of experts from the field of art, academia and public realm following a public consultation period.

The creation of the memorial has been made possible thanks to a £500,000 funding pledge by the Mayor. It is part of the work of the Mayor’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm, which focuses on better representation of the breadth and diversity of the capital’s population and history. The memorial is planned to be unveiled in 2026.

City Hall will also host an event tonight to mark the UNESCO International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade event at City Hall. The ceremony will remember the victims of the transatlantic slavery, reflect on its legacy and look at how education can transform the legacy of racism.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m pleased to announce The Wake by Khaleb Brooks as the new Memorial to Victims of Transatlantic Slavery. Khaleb’s work is a stark reminder of the pain and suffering caused by transatlantic slavery and the role the UK and London played.

“It’s essential that London’s streets, statues and memorials reflect our shared history, and this memorial will help to remind and educate Londoners of the capital’s role in this terrible treatment of human beings. It will also honour the achievements of descendant communities, as we continue to build a better and fairer London for everyone.” 

Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice, said: ““There are numerous buildings and monuments across London which represent the riches made from the trade in enslaved people but not enough to commemorate the tragic loss of life and the perseverance and strength of character of those enslaved and the African diaspora. Khaleb’s striking work will sit alongside a comprehensive education programme which, in light of recent far right protests, will help redress this balance and be a powerful opportunity for Londoners to pause and reflect on the history and legacy of transatlantic slavery in London.”

Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, said: “We wanted this memorial to be a symbol of resilience and hope, but also somewhere for contemplation for Londoners. Khaleb’s work does exactly that by acknowledging the dark past of the use of the cowrie shell in slavery and exploitation, and reclaiming its cultural and spiritual significance to provide a powerful space for Londoners to reflect on this barbaric trade.”

Khaleb Brooks, Artist, said: “We are our history, it tells us where we’ve been, where we are and the direction we could go. The Wake is an opportunity for us to not just acknowledge the victims of the trade, but to honour how far we’ve come and actively engage in the current necessity for social change. Through honouring, grieving, healing and learning about those who faced the horror of slavery before us, we make a conscious effort to engage the liberatory ethics that sought an end to the trade. The Wake is a space of memory, belonging, hope and care. I feel truly honoured to share a work of this scale in London.”

Douglas Gilmore, Managing Director, London Museum Docklands, said: “Khaleb Brook’s ‘The Wake’ is a deserved winner, the favourite of the public vote as well as the panel. It will sit well, both aesthetically and in terms of scale, with London Museum Docklands as its background; it takes inspiration from what is inside the museum and adds to that story. This new memorial will bring long needed diversity into our public realm and help to ensure it reflects all parts of our history.”

Professor Olivette Otele, Distinguished Research Professor at SOAS, University of London, said: “Poignant, sleek and beautiful, this memorial is an invitation to a sensory journey and a gift to all of us. It will open the door to a communion with and a celebration of ancestors. The memorial will also give us the opportunity to engage in history learning and healing in a place of huge significance. That is such a tremendous achievement for the city of London and for the nation as a whole.”