London ( CNN ) -- Delicate , rare and striking - forgotten photographs of black Britons in the late 19th and early 20th century have been unearthed from the depths of the Hulton Archive -- one of the world 's oldest and largest archives holding over 80 million images . Black Chronicles II , a photographic exhibition at Rivington Place in East London is currently showcasing over 200 images that explore black presences in Victorian Britain , the majority of which have never been revealed to the public . Part of `` The Missing Chapter '' -- a three-year project devoted to researching and revealing the earliest imagery of black people in Britain -- curators RenÃ©e Mussai and Mark Sealy of archive and research centre Autograph ABP have re-introduced a neglected part of history to the public consciousness . `` We have been doing this work around black representation through the prism of photography for 25 years , '' says Mussai . `` What we wanted to do with this research project was to expand , if you like , the narrative back to the very early days - to the invention of photography in 1839 . '' Going far back in time . The history of black people in Britain is most commonly traced back to 1948 , when the `` Empire Windrush '' ship carried 492 Jamaican passengers to British shores , following an ad in a Jamaican newspaper promising affordable carriage on board for those seeking a new life and work in the UK . Searching for images taken prior to this moment proved to be both exciting and overwhelming . `` We did n't know what we would find in the archive . '' Mussai exclaims . `` The Hulton Archive did n't know what they had because they did n't look at it with this particular remit in mind , and with 80 million records , you can imagine things get lost ! '' After extensive rummaging , a wealth of hitherto unknown photographs , carte-de-visites ( thin paper photograph mounted on thick paper card ) , cabinet cards and albumen prints resurfaced . A different light . Among the various treasures found , Mussai highlights the intriguing case of Kalulu , a young African boy whose photographs are featured in the exhibit . Images of Kalulu are easily searchable online and in various publications , but he is often portrayed as servant to Sir Henry Morton Stanley - the infamous writer and explorer of central Africa . The images in the exhibition , in contrast , center on Kalulu alone . He is not an accessory or an extra part ; he is instead the main focus . `` Kalulu holds his own in the frame and is dressed in an outfit that any other boy of that era would wear -- not a cloth , not semi-naked . '' says Mussai . Visualizing existence . The images , however , do more than point to a history that has been overlooked and neglected , they ask the question of who documents our histories and who gets to choose them . Mussai holds that the preference for certain stories and the evasion of others relates to how we prioritize different people 's existence . `` The most important thing to remember here is that when one is not visualized in history , one does n't exist . '' Says Mussai . `` So in terms of memory , in terms of contribution and actually being here -- people are often erased ... that means their existence is not acknowledged . '' These images do occupy a specific time-frame , loosely between the ends of 1830 - 1940s , but the chapter , so to speak , is not over and done with . In fact , the aim of the project is to constantly revise and evaluate a neglected era rather than to fill in the holes and then move on . `` These gaps will always exist and there will always be more '' says Mussai . Wider collaboration . Much of the project 's excitement is tied to unpredictability , a sense of continuous discovery as new images are unearthed from neglected albums across the globe . People are now submitting images from their own personal collections in a bid to help construct a history that has been forgotten -- a welcome by-product of the current showcase at Rivington Place . `` Someone currently based in Canada has sent through about 8 or 9 cabinet card scans of his family here in Britain , I think his great-great-grandmother came from Jamaica originally '' Mussai exclaims . `` There were photographs in the studio which appear to be from the 1860s , judging from the scan . '' Despite the success of the research so far , the current collection dates back only to the 1850s . Baring in mind photography was invented in the late 1830s , an approximate 10 years ' worth of photos are still left to be uncovered . The search for the earliest photograph of a black person in the UK , it seems , is still underway . `` Even if we find it , there is absolutely no certainty that it is the earliest '' Says Mussai . '' So far however , the journey to such discovery has proven to be just as important as the discovery itself . `` All we can do is move close and closer . '' Snooper 's paradise : A sneak peek inside London 's most prestigious private homes . Stunning 'time-slice ' photos capture your favorite landmarks from sunrise to sunset . Bendy towers and upturned houses : The surreal architecture you wish existed .
Rare photographs of Black Britons in the late 19th and early 20th century are on display at Rivington Place , London . Over 200 images exploring the black presence in Victorian Britain have been revealed to the public for the very first time .