16/08/2026
We've needed a moment before posting this.
Museum X is deeply saddened by the death of Professor Jason Arday, Cambridge's youngest Black professor, an author, and someone whose journey (non-verbal until 11, unable to read until 18) gave so many people permission to believe institutions like Cambridge could be for them too.
His family have called him a gentle man who always wanted to see the best in everyone. That's the person we want to hold in mind today.
We talk often about the "parading" of Black people in service of other people's narratives and the way visibility can become exposure, and achievement can become a target. What happened to Professor Arday over these past weeks sits inside that same history. The duty of care owed to him is a question society needs to sit with, not just academia and the media.
As we muddle through the next few days and weeks, we have some practical next steps for anyone who wants to use their grief as a catalyst for action:
What you can do:
🕯️ Vigil: 6pm, Mon 17 Aug, steps of the National Gallery, Trafalgar Sq (organised by Stand Up to Racism)
💛 Support his family: link in bio (GoFundMe, organised by Sir Patrick Vernon OBE)
✍️ Read and consider signing the open letter calling for a public inquiry into press conduct, link in bio
Rest in power, Professor Arday. 🕊️
Photo credit: Christian Sinibaldi/The Guardian
