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John La Rose, co-founder of the George Padmore Institute, published his first collection of poetry in 1966. Foundations includes the poem 'Song to an Imperishable Sunlight', read here by the award-winning poet, activist and GPI Trustee Linton Kwesi Johnson.

Les Back teaches Sociology at Goldsmiths University. He recounts how, in 2017, he curated an exhibition of photographs of the Black People's Day of Action by Vron Ware. This was a protest to denounce police and establishment indifference to the deaths of 13 young black people in a suspected arson attack in London. The exhibition also portrayed the political and social landscape of those events in 1981 with archive materials provided by the GPI.

In 1981, 13 young black people died in a suspected arson attack. Hear five personal reflections on the New Cross Massacre and the ensuing Black People’s Day of Action protest march. GPI Trustees Roxy Harris and Linton Kwesi Johnson along with academic and photographer Vron Ware, playwright Rex Obano and poet Jay Bernard talk about the impact of those events and the importance of the GPI in ensuring the tragedy is never forgotten.

George Padmore Institute co-founder and Trustee Sarah White and Trinidadian artist, poet and filmmaker Christopher Laird talk about the early days of the Caribbean Artists Movement, its international impact and the importance of the GPI CAM archive.

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Roxy Harris, current chair of the GPI, reveals what it was like to teach at the George Padmore Black Supplementary School, while Victor Sylvester provides personal insight into being a student at the Albertina Sylvester Black Supplementary School and eventually teaching at a supplementary school himself. Both talk about how important the archives at the GPI are for the next generation.

Margaret Busby, the first black woman publisher in the UK when she co-founded Allison & Busby in the late 1960s and Janice Durham, a trustee of the GPI and director of New Beacon Books, talk about the impact and vital importance of the International Book Fairs of Radical Black and Third World Books 1982-1995.

Sarah Garrod, GPI senior archivist, reveals how ephemeral material sets the context for historical, social and cultural moments in history and the value these items hold for anyone interested in understanding and researching archives. David Abdulah, trade unionist, activist and long-time friend of John La Rose, shares the passion with which John collected ephemera with the view of recording accurately events and important moments in history.

GPI Trustee Chris Moffat and solicitor and member of the Black Solicitors Network Yvonne Brown talk about the CRPPK archive collection at the GPI. Watch Yvonne's fascinating insights into campaigning as a member of the Committee alongside GPI co-founder John La Rose and Chris' unique perspective of working on the materials held at the archive.

Watch renowned scholar and activist Professor Gus John talk about the campaigns and activism of the Black Education Movement.

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Award-winning uthor and illustrator Ken Wilson-Max talks with GPI Trustee Sharmilla Beezmohun about creating a children's book that honours John La Rose, founder of GPI. They are joined by the GPI's archivist Sarah Garrod and another award-winning author Catherine Johnson.

Joan Goody was an English teacher and a pioneer in introducing Caribbean, African and Asian literature into British schools. Watch the GPI’s archivist Sarah Garrod along with Joan's colleagues Jenny Green and Lawrence Scott talk about her work, legacy and the importance of the GPI archive.

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GPI Trustee Azim Hajee and journalist and activist Mogniss H Abdallah talk about the organisation, its legacy and the importance of the GPI archive.

GPI Trustee Linton Kwesi Johnson talks to pioneering filmmaker, lecturer, writer and poet Imruh Bakari about his long career in films, as director and producer; the challenges faced by young black aspiring filmmakers during the 1980s and early 1990s; working with the late Menelik Shabazz and the late Henry G Martin; and curating film festivals in Africa.

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John La Rose (1927-2006) is a Trinidadian poet, essayist, publisher, filmmaker, trade unionist, and cultural and political activist. He was co-founder and chair of the George Padmore Institute (GPI). His first collection of poetry Foundations (1966) includes the poem 'Word Creatures', read here by award-winning poet, activist and GPI Trustee Linton Kwesi Johnson.

An easy read summary to help people with learning disabilities find out more about John La Rose and his work to fight racism.

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Developed with support and funding by The Open University.

An easy read summary to help people with learning disabilities find out about the 1981 New Cross fire.

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Developed with support and funding by The Open University.

Contains research and creative work done under the auspices of the George Padmore Institute. In 2018, Jay Bernard won the Ted Hughes award for new poetry with a multimedia sequence of 'Surge', the poem created after exploring the New Cross Massacre Action Committee archives at the GPI in 2016. (2016, 76pp)

Building Britainnia continues the history of the black British experience begun in Changing Britannia (1999). With Dennis Bovell, dub musician; Gus John, education and social justice consultant; Aggrey Burke, psychiatrist; Yvonne Brewster, theatre director and actress; Wilfred Wood, Anglican bishop; Althea McNish, textile designer and painter; Alexis Rennie, engineer. (2009, 294pp)

John La Rose (1927-2006) was a poet, publisher, film maker, trade unionist, and cultural and political activist. This exhibition, held in 2015 in Islington, north London, attempted to show what John believed in and how, through his life and his political and cultural activism, he lived his ‘dream to change the world’. His vision was for a world of racial equality and social justice. (2018, 64pp)

40-minute film about the trial and charges that arose from a demonstration to protest against police harassment of the popular Mangrove Restaurant in Notting Hill, London in the early 1970s. An historic event in the life and political development of the black community in Britain. (2012 [1973], DVD)

Details how the Book Fair came into being, was organised, the role of the founder John La Rose, how and why it ended. With memoirs by participants from around the world. Includes the 12 brochures accompanying the Book Fairs and an index. (2005, 560 pp)

The New Cross Fire took place in 1981 and claimed the lives of 13 young black people at a birthday party. This is a reprint of the original booklet published in 1984 by the Alliance of the Black Parents Movement, the Black Youth Movement and Race Today Collective. The significance of the period and the event today are also explored by Linton Kwesi Johnson and Gus John. (2011 [1984], 80pp)

A selection of short essays and writings that reflect John La Rose’s varied activities: politics, literature, music, artistic creativity, culture and society, technology, trade union and worker solidarity, social equality and racial justice. 'There is both clarity and complexity in his ideas; and his prose exhibits the art of a consummate communicator.' Linton Kwesi Johnson. (2014, 86pp)

The text and discussion of one of three John La Rose Memorial Lectures held between 2010 and 2013. It reflects and explores ideas and concerns close to John La Rose’s heart. Accompanied by a DVD. (2010)

The text and discussion of one of three John La Rose Memorial Lectures held between 2010 and 2013. It reflects and explores ideas and concerns close to John La Rose’s heart. Accompanied by a DVD. (2011)

The text and discussion of one of three John La Rose Memorial Lectures held between 2010 and 2013. It reflects and explores ideas and concerns close to John La Rose’s heart. Accompanied by a CD and photographs. (2013)

The first section contains a gallery of 40 artworks created in the Caribbean between the 1940s and 2000s. The second section provides a historical background to the Pre-Columbian period (5000BC-AD1500); the colonial and early independence period (1500-1900); the modern and contemporary period (1900-2010). (2010, 184pp)

The classic history of this major cultural movement of Caribbean writers and artists founded in 1966 by Kamau Brathwaite, Andrew Salkey and John La Rose. CAM flourished in Britain in the late 1960s and influenced many later intellectual and artistic developments. (1992, 356pp)

Based on an interview between John La Rose and Errol Lloyd concerning the Caribbean Artists Movement, New Beacon Books and the relation between culture and politics. Includes John’s background, childhood in Trinidad and activities in London. A celebration of the man who ‘dreamed to change the world’. Horace Ové is a distinguished Trinidadian photographer and filmmaker. (2006, DVD, 76min)

Over 60 friends and colleagues write about their relationship with John, how their activities were affected by his political and cultural perspectives and by his methods of work. Political and personal memoirs, essays and poems from the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, the USA and the UK are all included. (1991, 196pp)

Contains a reprint of the document of the West Indian Standing Conference issued around the struggle against the colour bar on London buses in the 1960s. (1985, 112pp)

Contains a reprint of the 1966 document on ‘Nigger Hunting in England’ by Joseph A. Hunte. (1986, 160pp)

Ages 5 to 8

A magical story about the childhood of John La Rose, a tireless activist and co-founder of the GPI. Readers will learn about John's life through a fascinating timeline.

Ages 5 to 8

Jump Up! tells the story of Cecille, a young black girl living in the Caribbean, and how her community develops their very own Carnival, based on their long-remembered African traditions.

16 double page photos of the biggest protest by black people seen in Britain, when 15-20,000 marched from New Cross Road through Central London to Hyde Park. A unique social resource of a historical moment for the black community. 14cm x 20cm booklet, 36pp

Funded by MLA London, the pack includes a handbook with learning activities, 30 image cards of archive items which are used for discussion points. Themes covered: Why do People Protest?, The Caribbean Artists Movement, International Book Fairs.

An easy read introduction to help people with learning disabilities find out about the George Padmore Collection easy read series.

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Developed with support and funding by The Open University.

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