Very occasionally an iconic black British cultural moment takes place in front of the world but is only recognised by the black community - yesterday journo @Nadine_Writes gave us one when in the Downing St briefing she asked a question with a picture of Marcus Garvey behind her.

Covid-19 has given us a rare glimpse into people's homes and while most people have obsessed over bookshelves. Behind @Nadine_Writes was a picture of one of Jamaica's national heroes and arguably the originator of black pride and pan-Africanism.

I have seen the portrait countless times in people's homes, although importantly only in black people's homes. The minute black people saw that picture they knew that culturally @Nadine_Writes was coming from a place that few other journalists in the UK are coming from or know.

These small signals of identity resonate with communities who feel underrepresented. We saw it in the 80s when cricketer Viv Richards wore red, gold & green "rasta" wristbands. So small most people might not have noticed them. Except every black person did https://108powwow.wordpress.com/tag/viv-richards-rastafarian-wristband/

We saw it again when Ian Wright bogled after scoring for Arsenal in the 90s - taking a piece of dancehall culture and proudly displaying it to the rest of the world when the rest of the world didn't know what dancehall reggae was https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/nov/25/race.world1

And let's not forget when Barack Obama gave Michelle a fist bump on the 2008 campaign trail it was so rarely seen outside of the black community some sections of the media called it a "terrorist fist jab". Black people saw it and said "they're one of us" https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/was-this-really-a-terrorist-fist-jab-the-right-says-so-845141.html

Nadine,

I have no idea if you intended to create an iconic cultural moment but you did and I applaud you for it.

You let the world see a glimpse of the diverse cultures that make up Britain's homes and we are all richer for it.

Thank you!

One final tweet: While I celebrate the iconic moment let it not detract from the fact @Nadine_Writes is a gr8 journalist. Just as Viv Richards wristbands didn't detract from his cricketing ,Ian Wright's bogle didn't detract from his football, and Obama... well need I say more?