Fulham Palace & seeds of sedition: talk with Akosua Paries-Osei

Join Akosua Paries-Osei as she connects her research into the medical use of botanicals by enslaved African women with the English plant collectors like Bishop Compton who was growing over 1,000 plant species from all over the world at Fulham Palace in the late 17th century.

Akosua Paries-Osei’s talk will highlight how African women used their medicinal knowledge of botanicals from Africa and the New World during the period of transatlantic slavery to manage and control their fertility. Some of these plants such as passion flower and ginger were grown and cultivated at Fulham Palace in the late 17th century by Bishop Compton, and also within his networks in England. Enslaved women’s knowledge of fertility and anti-fertility botanicals were known to colonists whose business was intimately entwined within the reproductive capabilities of enslaved women.

This talk is part of a series held at Fulham Palace around Black History Month, where we will re-examine historical narratives and bring to the forefront the voices of those who have been marginalized.

About the speaker

Akosua is a Fulham resident and a 3rd year PhD student at Royal Hollway, University of London, undertaking a racial justice placement at the Natural History Museum (NHM). Her research at the NHM explores the medicinal use of botanicals by enslaved African women to manage and control their reproductive health. In particular, she is interested in African (and New World) botanicals that have been incorporated into the European pharmacopeia through knowledge gained from the enslaved.

Event details

• This talk is part of the Black History talk series.
• This talk is suitable for ages 16+.