Press Release.
London. – Local history presentations and racism workshops looking at Croydon institutions are just some of the elements of the AfricanHistory+ @ Croydon whole day event taking place on Saturday Nov. 22 at Matthews Yard, off Surrey Street in Croydon.
Organised by BTWSC, African Histories Revisited and BritishBlackMusic.com/Black Music Congres, with support from Croydon BME Forum, History & Social Action Publications, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Network, Croydon Radical History Network, and Matthews Yard, the event is billed as a Look How Far We’ve Come Community Talk Xtra, which adds extra films, presentations, and live music aimed at young people, adults and families!
The Look… Community Talk section consists of the screening of the ‘Look How Far We’ve Come: Commentaries On British Society And Racism’ vox pops documentary with contributions by people with diverse backgrounds, ranging from academics, politicians, lawyers, nurses, to equality and community activists, including the likes of Prof Paul Gilroy, Prof Gus John, Lord Herman Ouseley, Lord Anthony Lester, Lord Taylor, David Lammy MP, Diane Abbott MP, Tony Benn, Ken Livingstone, Dawn Butler, Marc Wadsworth, Waveney Bushell, Henry Bonsu, Lee Jasper, Toyin Agbetu and Zita Holbourne expressing their views on how far Britain has come in dealing with racism and race equality issues.
It is followed by the ‘How Does Racism Manifest Itself In Croydon?’ workshop covering the Council, Police, Health Service, Education and Employment.
The films, which start off the evebt at 12.30pm include the self-descript ‘Britain’s Contribution To The Development Of Reggae Music’, a vox pops documentary featuring musicians, DJs, producers, journalists and fans, and ‘Talking Heads: London & Black Music’, which focuses on London venues that hold fond memories of black music history. Contributors include 1Xtra DJ Semtex, Island-Universal UK president Darcus Beese, record promotions executive Rob Pascoe, saxophonist Yolanda Brown, Westbury Music publisher Paulette Long, singer-promoter Spoonface, ring-tone pioneer Alexander Amosu, and culturalist Ekow Eshun.
‘Do You Know Croydonites Samuel Coleridge-Taylor & Neil ‘Mad Professor’ Fraser + John Archer? provides highlight African British classical composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Croydon connections; reveal the work of record producer Neil ‘Mad Professor’ Fraser, who has run a successful music business in Croydon for over 30 years; plus a focus on the life of John Archer as a pan-Africanist who was Battersea Mayor at the outbreak of World War I.
The evening rounds off with local act Sweet Melody & Band performing ‘Bob Marley Songs Of Love, Sufferation, Redemption & Emancipation’, a live set of songs from the Bob Marley songbook which speak to themes dealt with by pan-Africanism icon Marcus Garvey, as a way of marking the centenary of the founding of Garvey’s UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association).
£5 in advance, £7 at the door. For more information or to book: www.AfricanHistoryPlus.eventbrite.com
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