Charles Darwin changed the course of science and how we understand nature, but did you know that some of his most important observations would not have been possible without the expert help of a young Black taxidermist? John Edmonstone, a former enslaved man from Guyana is one of history’s most influential but little-known Black Britons. Edmonstone was living in Edinburgh when he met a young Charles Darwin and shared his techniques for stuffing birds - a skill that came in handy when Darwin came to preserve his famous Galápagos finches during his voyage on HMS Beagle. This film was produced as part of Black History Month 2023. 00:00 Who was Charles Darwin? 0:43 Who was John Edmonstone? 2:11 How did Charles Darwin and John Edmonstone meet? 3:24 Why was John Edmonstone so important to life and history of Darwin? 4:25 What happened to John Edmonstone and why is so little known about him? #NaturalHistoryMuseum #BlackHistory #CharlesDarwin ---------------- Subscribe to our channel for the latest audio described natural history content https://www.youtube.com/@NaturalHistoryMuseum-AudioDesc?sub_confirmation=1 We're completely free to visit! But if you want to support the Museum's work, you can do so here 👉 https://bit.ly/43M2NTN The Natural History Museum in London is home to more than 80 million objects, including meteorites, dinosaur bones and a giant squid. Our channel brings the Museum to you, from what goes on behind the scenes to surprising science and stories from our scientists. Browse our shop: https://www.nhmshop.co.uk/ Website: http://www.nhm.ac.uk Instagram: http://instagram.com/natural_history_museum TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@its_nhm Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nhm-london.bsky.social X: https://x.com/nhm_london Facebook: http://fb.com/naturalhistorymuseum
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