Public history & recognition
In Search of My Father’s Blue Plaque
An ongoing development strand exploring recognition, public memory and Black British housing history.
Archive / Community / Legacy
Recognition, public memory and Black British housing history.
Status: Ongoing development.
Why recognition matters
From private memory to public record.
Recognition is more than commemoration. It is about ensuring that contributions once overlooked become part of the public record and remain visible to future generations.
The search for a plaque sits within JAHA’s wider work to recover, document and share the legacy of James Alexander, founder and director of Trinity Housing Association, which he established in 1969 with a mission to help people facing housing discrimination in Britain secure homes.
Recognition already in motion
A legacy recognised by the community.
In 2023, James Alexander received the Redbridge Black History Legacy Award for Property & Homes, recognising his contribution to housing and community life.
The recognition forms part of a wider process of restoring James Alexander’s work to public memory — through film, archive, research and the continuing exploration of permanent commemoration.
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