#Windrush Generation Legacy Association

[insidecroydon]

Dominoes at Windrush Centre, Whitgift Centre, Aug 12 and 19

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[itsrattysworld]

Without Prejudice Mervelee Myers Given Mandate YouTube Podcasts To Share The Created Legacies From I Joined Social Media 2009 After 1st Miscarriages Of Justice By HMCTS Death Of Brother Age 56 With Colon Cancer Southwark SEND Section Involved Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust LEYF Cohorts Of Richard Harty MIC Operating At HOC Nursery 2010 Will Be Named With Ofsted DBS LEA LSB Government Department Ministers Do Research Sir Mark Rowley Rev Rose Hudson - Wilkin Some I Reached Out To For Support Barclays Santander Nationwide FOS Action Fraud Must Act MPs Councillors Please Get Off The Fence Treating Me Like A Criminal Call Me MAD 100

Without Prejudice Mervelee Myers Record UK Society 2023 Windrush Generation Of Arnold Ebenezer Tomlinson Age Traumatise Cover A-Z Of Abusers By Judiciary Of England Wales Criminal Justice System Crown Prosecution Service In Pockets Of Employers Banks Building Societies NHS FOS DBS LEA Charities Housing Association Individuals BAME Communities Social Media Harvest Intellectual Property Copyrights…

[prnanayarquah]

Greensleeves Unveils Blue Plaque in Honor of WINDRUSH 75

New Post has been published on https://plugzafrica.com/greensleeves-unveils-blue-plaque-in-honor-of-windrush-75/

Greensleeves Unveils Blue Plaque in Honor of WINDRUSH 75

Greensleeves Records, in association with Nubian Jak Community Trust, Transport for London and VP Records, unveiled their Blue Plaque on Shepherd’s Bush Green to mark the legacy of the iconic British record label, which will be installed permanently at Shepherd’s Bush Train Station.

Special guest speakers included Dr Jak Beulah, Greensleeves label founders Chris Cracknell & Chris Sedgwick plus Councillor Sharon Holder, H & F Cabinet Member for Public Realm and more, followed by a surprise performance by legendary Greensleeves artist General Saint backed by the AKABU Queen’s.

[blackbritishwomeninlit]

Beverley Bryan, Stella Dadzie & Suzanne Scafe, Heart of the Race: Black Women’s Lives in Britain (London: Verso, 2019)

first published in 1985.

From left to right: Stella Dadzie, Beverley Bryan, Suzanne Scafe

Beverley Brian was born in Jamaica and came to Britain in 1959, following her parents who arrived in 1953, part of the “Windrush generation” they settled in Brixton, London. Bryan wished to teach and created a curriculum for black students that would make them feel proud within themselves and provide a buffer to the negativity they would doubtless encounter in daily life. She was a British Black Panthers member (unaffiliated with the US counterpart despite sharing the same aim) in the early 1970s when the Mangrove Nine case was won. When they disbanded in 1973 these experiences were carried forward and culminated in the foundation of the Brixton Black Women’s Group (BWG), along with Olive Morris and Liz Obi. The Heart of the Race became a central pillar of their legacy and remains a basal text for many, passed from generation to generation. However, Bryan eventually returned to Jamaica in 1992 as she never felt fully settled and, from both her personal experiences with the police and the reality of being black in Britain, was anxious to raise a family in the UK.

Stella Dadzie was born in London in 1952 to a white mother and a Ghanaian father. Dadzie spent 18 moths in foster care in Wales before returning to her birth mother at the age of four. Recalling her experience of this time in an interview in 2020, Dadzie speaks of the poverty, homelessness and horrific racism they endured. Her mother was shunned for having a black child as well as being a single parent, and this meant that they moved often, facing constant rejection from racist landlords. As an activist, historian, writer and British educationalist she is best known as a founding member of the Organisation of Women of African and Asian Descent (OWAAD) as well as co-authoring The Heart of the Race; both of which are foundational to the UK’s Black Women’s Movement. 

Suzanne Scafe was a member of both the Organisation of Women of African and Asian Descent (OWAAD) and the Brixton Black Women’s Group (BWG). She is currently working at London South Bank University where she is a Senior Lecturer in English Studies. As well as co-authoring The Heart of the Race she has published several on the culture and writing of Black Britain. Scafe argues that ethical enquiry and alarming conventional assumptions can be found within literature as a mutually reinforcing relationship; upturning this language allows for a better understanding of self and others. She continues that the beauty of Black literature and the politics associated with it possess the potential to disrupt these narratives and transform discourses of power, knowledge and emotions. 

‘With our Black culture, everything has to be passed down either orally or through dance. You see, with the Europeans their culture is in their buildings and their artefacts, their paintings and books and so on an this is why they say that Black people have no culture.’ - p. 204.

The Heart of the Race reclaims and documents black women’s role in history by correcting the longstanding narrative of British history, from which black women have long been excluded. It records their day-to-day challenges in their education, career, and health-care experiences, in addition to the personal and political battles they’ve fought to maintain a sense of identity and shared community. Anti-colonial and anti-imperialist sentiments are consistent throughout and I enjoyed how these themes were explored through the intersection of race, class and gender. These same experiences and battles can still be recognised today, some 36 years later, as a plague to black communities across the country.

‘To succeed in any other profession, a Black woman must dress, think, talk and act white.’ - p. 194.

The Heart of the Race is a testament to the collective experiences of black women in Britain, and their relationship to the British state during its long history of slavery, empire, and colonialism, when it was first published in 1985 it won the Martin Luther King Memorial Prize the same year. It’s a text relevant to today because it reveals how those who came before overcame insurmountable sexism and racism to achieve success. It also demonstrates that agency can be reclaimed: through collective action, mutual aid and remaining rooted in our communities. 

Sources:

Bryan, Beverley, Stella Dadzie and Suzanne Scafe, Heart of the Race: Black Women’s Lives in Britain (London: Verso, 2019)

Okolosie, Lola, "A Reignited Spirit: Black Women’s Lives In Britain", Versobooks.Com, 2020 <https://www.versobooks.com/blogs/3949-a-reignited-spirit-black-women-s-lives-in-britain> [Accessed 11 March 2021]

Thomas, Tobi, “Beverley Bryan: the British Black Panther who inspired a generation of women”, The Guardian, 2021 <https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jan/28/beverley-bryan-the-british-black-panther-who-inspired-a-generation-of-women> [Accessed 11 March 2021]

Sethi, Anita, “Stella Dadzie: ‘Women resisted slavery at every stage of the journey’”, The Guardian, 2020 <https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/nov/21/stella-dadzie-women-resisted-slavery-at-every-stage-of-the-journey> [Accessed 11 March 2021]

Gilroy, Paul, and Suzanne Scafe, "How Literature Matters: An Ethical Reading Of Black British Women's Writing", Short Takes <https://www.ucl.ac.uk/racism-racialisation/transcript-how-literature-matters-ethical-reading-black-british-womens-writing> [Accessed 11 March 2021]

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[obsidianarchives]

NAAAW: A Magical History

Upon the ratification of the thirteenth amendment, African American wizards decided to come together and create an organization focused on their wellbeing, currently known as the National Association of African American Wizards aka NAAAW (previously known as NANW). Haywood Bellgrove, Clara Little, Willie Nipson, Ruth Anne McCoy, Mamie Freeman, twin brothers Herman and Thurman Gott, and Josephine Delonge are the founding members. This group of formerly enslaved conjurers, freedmen, and Underground Railroad participants gathered to ensure the safety of their people throughout the United States by working together to fight against unjust laws both in the No-Maj and magical community. NAAAW’s founders felt that they were best equipped to handle community grievances and the mounting racial tensions that went largely unacknowledged by the current magical government.

Originally modeled after tribal councils, the representatives from each region of the United States gather together to vote and make decisions on behalf of their constituents. With the abolishment of Jim Crow lessening its grip on the African American Community, NAAAW has become more willing to work with MACUSA (The Magical Congress of the United States of America), especially members in Washington D.C. and New York. However, the vast majority of African American wizards are unhappy with this arrangement. The decision to reveal the presence of Black American wizards to the world was not well received by all. A few wealthy Black wizards within the organization decided that they did not want to live in the shadows anymore and thought that the best way to move wizarding kind forward was to join forces with MACUSA. The decision was made without a vote and on July 4th, 1965, when Jeremiah Ratliff exposed the world to the deep secret of magical Black American people. He was believed to have been paid handsomely by wizards in both the D.C. and New York regions. Unfortunately, the truth of their potential involvement has not been unearthed as Jeremiah was assassinated only two days later. These events plus racial tensions in America has led to distrust in both NAAAW and MACUSA.

The Civil Rights Movement

Due to the prominence of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other ministers, it’s almost impossible to separate Black Christianity from the Civil Rights Movement. In the Black No-Maj community, magical ability was greeted with strong dislike, causing most African American wizards to hide their abilities from their peers. However, after the sobering kidnapping and murder of a young boy named Emmett Till on August 28, 1955, the magical and No-Maj community put aside their differences and began working together.

NAAAW members joined in non-violent protests throughout the United States, secretly protecting their non-magical brothers and sisters. Using defensive spells in Haitian Creole such as “Dezame,” a disarming charm, “Konfizyon,” a spell which causes confusion upon its recipient and “Pwoteje,” a shield charm, the wizards were able to protect their peers while still being under the radar from both wizards and No-Maj. These spells, while working in agreement with the methods of resistance, helped save many lives, though they were not able to save everyone.

The spirit of resistance and the desire for freedom and community well-being has continued to be a major part of NAAAW’s guiding principles. Members have been linked to Vietnam War resistance efforts, the Black Panther party, and most recently the Black Lives Matter movement. Not limiting itself to efforts in the United States, NAAAW is part of The International Congregation of Colored Wizards (ICCW) which unites Black and African wizards around the globe. Most notably, they have worked with the ICCW during the Civil Rights movement in Britain and Apartheid in South Africa. Currently, NAAAW is working together with ICCW to find solutions to humanitarian crises such as rebuilding efforts in the Caribbean and the treatment of the Windrush Generation.

The British anti-Muggle movement led by Lord Voldemort that gained traction in the 1970s-1980s and again in the mid-90s has once again found itself in the forefront of ICCW’s activism in the 21st century. By intermingling with the general anti-immigration sentiments in both the United States and Great Britain, the movement has become far-reaching. Black American and other non-white wizards of today are working together to find solutions to combat the growing number of Dark Marks, a symbol of fear and hatred, that have been appearing in the sky, along with other intimidation tactics.

Building and Community

Hidden in the coastal wetlands of what is commonly known as the bayou, NAAAW headquarters is a beautiful marble underwater facility. The enchanted windows make the inside of the building feel and look like an aquarium. Annually, the building is brought to the surface for Juneteenth celebrations that attract Black wizards from all over the country. The celebrations usually last for several days and are filled with music, laughter, food, and preparation for the upcoming magical school year.

In 2012, after over three decades of hostility from MACUSA, the Beauvais family has regained their status as a high ranking wizarding family. As far back as the early 1800s, the Beauvais have been an integral part of NAAAW’s success. Amity Beauvais, nee. Bellgrove, used her connection to younger brother and NAAAW co-founder, Haywood Bellgrove, to assist in opening her home as a station on the Underground Railroad. The Beauvais home was used as an early meeting place for NAAAW council hearings and as a training post for wizard civil rights activists. This familial legacy and prestige has led to the Beauvais Family Wand Shop becoming a popular destination for wizards that work within MACUSA and those that are headed to Ilvermorny.

[criticsofcolour]

Leave Taking, Bush Theatre [Pearl Esfahani]

Leave Taking took to the stage at the National Theatre in 1988, making Winsome Pinnock the first black female playwright to be programmed there. Having been crowned the Grandmother of Black British Playwrights it is a stark realisation that there haven’t been that many more that have made it into the British canon since. It is suitable that this play kick starts the Bush Theatre’s Passing the Baton initiative in which the work of a Poc writer is revived, and an emerging one is commissioned and mentored.

Vize’s set is modernist and minimal in design, and is utilised well to define the narrow corridors and small rooms that many London bedsit/flat residents will be familiar with. A combination of late 70’s dub, and originally composed sounds sets the scene, and yet since the fashion and vinyl has come back around it never feels like we’re watching a play from the past. If only this was the only aspect that feels contemporary.

Vibrant characters command the space, each with their own distinct physicality and dynamic. The relationships fizz, and their humanity is captivating . A simple ‘Oh-oh-ohhh’ and a killer look from Nile’s Enid reminds us all of a moment when we’ve been rumbled by a parent. Ripples of recognition through the audience remain constant throughout, as Pinnock’s observation and wit so  succinctly nails it on many levels. Johnson’s hilarious Brod has the audience roaring with laughter, as an incredibly earnest Viv (Nicholle Cherrie) fusses over the small details, Brod cuts to the chase, ‘A racist is a man who stick his fist ina him own backside then tell everybody else how them hand stink.’ An alarmingly current discussion around nationality, assumed Britishness and having your papers in order to prevent threat of deportation ensues. As someone who was born a refugee, I know only too well how important this aspect of security in nationality is, and with Pinnock pointing this out over 30 years ago, I’m left wondering why the ‘Windrush Scandal’ has only hit mainstream consciousness now.

First generation immigrants Enid, and Brod battle out nostalgia for the homeland, guilt for leaving, disappointment with the reality, and determination for the futures of their legacy. ‘English’ daughters Del and Viv, not recognising customs of the old country search for their own image within their worlds. The complex, and often contradictory struggle of immigrant families is expertly navigated with sensitivity. Drowning in the pain and trauma of dislocation, guidance is sought from Obeah woman Mai. A folk healer played by the enigmatic and commanding Andoh, is less about  mystique and magic. and more about bridging the gap through old traditions, and building connection with her clients and community. When a Doctor can’t cure a black woman’s soul of society’s ailments, Mai looks you in the eyes and encourages you to invest in yourself when it feels like no one else does. Passing on her practice on to a wayward Del (played with such watchable immediacy by Seraphina Beh) she ensures the tie to past, present and future are not lost.  A fractured mother-daughter relationship between Enid and Del portrays the familiar dynamic of a mother who is hard on her daughter as a misguided attempt to prepare them for the hardships they might face. Tired of fighting the world, themselves, and each other, healing is attempted through honesty and connection. And whilst the world rains down on them, they are the light in each other’s eyes.

Running time: 2hrs 20mins

Title of show: LEAVE TAKING / Venue: BUSH THEATRE / Dates the show is on: On until 30th June 2018 / Writer: Winsome Pinnock / Director: Madani Younis / Associate Director: Omar Elerian / Movement Director: Lucie Pankhurst / Vocal Coach: Hazel Holder / Design: Rosanna Vize(set), Rajiv Pattani(lighting), Ed Clarke (sound designer & composer) / Technical: Eleanor Dear(Company stage manager, Hanne Schulpe (Deputy Stage Manager) / Cast: Adjoa Andoh, Seraphina Beh, Nicholle Cherrie, Wil Johnson, Sarah Niles

Pearl Esfahani // @gazyoulikeit

Live arts advocate. Consuming culture through olive-tinted glasses.

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Windrush Generation's exhibition is playing sounds of the 70s

After a week spent playing ‘silly games’ with the borough’s politicians, for a deserved break, KEN TOWL got serious about Lovers’ Rock I second that: Emotion, a Lovers’ Rock track by Croydon trio 15-16-17, on the DEB label Croydon’s musical heritage is immense. It is so rich and varied that the council is putting together some kind of guided walk. It seems a low-budget option, but it is at least…

[itsrattysworld]

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