Eric L. Huntley (1929–2026)
It is with a heavy heart that we bring this very sad news to you.
Eric L. Huntley, who together with his wife Jessica Huntley was co-founder of both the Huntley Archives and Bogle-L’Ouverture Publications, passed away peacefully with his family on 21 January 2026.
We would also like to thank our wider community for the many messages of care, remembrance, and tribute that have been shared across social media and beyond. These reflections speak to the deep respect held for Eric Huntley and for the work that he and Jessica built together over many decades. We are very grateful for this outpouring of solidarity, and we look forward to sharing more about Eric Huntley’s long, rich life and legacy in a future post.
For adding your personal tributes and photos, here is Uncle Eric’s much loved page.
Born in Guyana on 25 September 1929, Eric Huntley was a radical Black publisher, organiser, and educator whose life’s work was rooted in political education, grassroots activism, and the belief that access to knowledge is fundamental to liberation. Alongside Jessica Huntley, he played a central role in building infrastructures for Black intellectual, cultural, and political life in Britain, particularly at a time when such spaces were actively marginalised or excluded.
Together, Eric and Jessica co-founded Bogle-L’Ouverture Publications, a landmark radical Black publishing house that became internationally recognised for its role in circulating political texts, creative writing, and historical scholarship by Black writers from Britain, the Caribbean, Africa, and the wider diaspora. Their publishing practice was inseparable from their commitment to community organising, anti-racist struggle, and international solidarity.
They were also co-founders of the Huntley Archives, established to preserve, make accessible, and activate the histories of Black political, cultural, and publishing movements. The Archives reflect a lifelong commitment to the idea that history is not static, but something to be engaged with, debated, and passed on — particularly to younger generations.
Eric Huntley’s work consistently centred young people: supporting their learning, encouraging critical thinking, and creating opportunities for them to engage with history, culture, and politics on their own terms. This intergenerational approach was not incidental, but foundational — rooted in the belief that archives, publishing, and education must remain living practices.
Only days before his passing, Eric remained actively engaged with young volunteers involved in planning this year’s conference, offering encouragement and insight as they shaped the programme. He was clear in his wish that the work should continue.
In that spirit, the 20th Annual Huntley Conference, “I Am an Archive, We Are an Archive,” will take place as planned on Saturday 21 February 2026 at The London Archives. The conference will also include opportunities for reflection and tribute, allowing participants to contribute spoken or written responses as part of a living archive.
Eric Huntley’s legacy — shaped and sustained alongside Jessica Huntley — lives on through the seminal books they published, the campaigns they founded, the communities they nurtured, and the generations of readers, organisers, artists, and scholars influenced by their work. FHALMA remains committed to carrying this legacy forward with vision, integrity, and purpose.
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