In 1921, W.E.B. Du Bois (the African American thinker and NAACP co-founder) sent a letter to Winston Churchill with a rather interesting request. A closer look at this letter illuminates the Pan-African and anti-colonial activism of the inter-war period and Du Bois’ interest in London as a site for Black leaders from around the world to gather. Then, a design registration record from the Victorian era asks the question, “Can design improve health?” We follow the paper trail of a 19th century doctor who believed it could.

Documents from The National Archives used in this episode:

BT 45/5/950; BT 45/5/973; CO 323/878; MH 13/196/81

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