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Boat cruise along the Thames celebrates Black History

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United Kingdom

Any cruise along the London's Thames river will take you past some of the British capital's most famous landmarks, but this boat trip is different.

The three-hour long journey focuses largely on the history of Black Britain.

A key element of the tour, onboard a double-decker boat, are the guides dressed as historical figures.

"She was a Kushite queen, a Nubian queen, who ruled in what is now understood as Sudan, the Sudan region of Africa, who ruled from 40 BC to 10 BC. And was kicking proverbial derriere for the Romans", says Nicole-Rachelle Moore, an actress playing Queen Amanirenas.

The trip starts by taking in an obelisk, influenced by Ancient Egypt, before looking at more recent history, such as when Britain's Houses of Parliament welcomed its first Black lawmakers, just over three decades ago.

Shakespeare's playhouse, The Globe, is a chance to reflect on the lives of Black Tudors.

Then London's Docklands and its links to the slave trade.

Organisers hope that journeys like this could help forge a richer sense of national identity.

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