Release Date:  13-Mar-2007

With contributions to Bristol and parliamentary democracy spanning more than 50 years, former local MP and Cabinet Minister Tony Benn launches the first-ever Bristol Black Archives Partnership on Wednesday 14 March.
 
To mark the day, he is joined by the Lord Mayor Councillor Peter Abraham, broadcaster Sherrie Eugene, and members of the African-Caribbean community and heritage organisations from across the city.

The Bristol Black Archives Partnership, a Heritage Lottery funded initiative, raises awareness of the importance of preserving and promoting black history. It encourages people to contribute documents, photographs, film and other records to the city’s official archive and objects to the city’s museums.

Tony Benn and Paul Stephenson on the buses, England’s first black rugby football player, ward nurse Princess Campbell…these and other fascinating portraits from the Bristol archive make up an exhibition ‘Me, We - Making History’ at Bar One30, Cheltenham Road, Bristol from 15-21 March.

The partnership will be collecting further material over the coming year, which will then be accessible to all via the Record Office public searchroom and the Museums, Galleries & Archives Enquiries service. It will also create a unique bank of material for the new Museum of Bristol and learning resources for all schools in Bristol.
After an approach from civil rights activist Paul Stephenson about looking after his own archive, Bristol Record Office (part of Bristol City Council’s Museums, Galleries and Archives) and Mr Stephenson teamed up with a number of black organisations and individuals, the city’s museums service, Equalities Unit, local universities and the Lord Lieutenant of Bristol to form the Bristol Black Archives Partnership.

Recognising this year’s commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act, the first phase of the project concentrates on capturing the histories of the African-Caribbean community. Hopefully, this will act as a springboard for working with other communities in the future.

Karen Garvey, Project Manager of the Bristol Black Archives Partnership, says: “Bristol’s history is a shared one, and this unique partnership allows the contribution and experiences of black and minority ethnic people to be not only fully recognised but also preserved for future generations. This project enriches all our understanding of Bristol's wider history.”

Rob Mitchell, the Partnership’s Chairperson, says: “It’s important that ordinary people in Bristol contribute their photos, records and objects and be a part of the city’s official archives and museums collections.”

Civil rights campaigner and Black Archives Patron, Paul Stephenson says: “The work of the partnership shows the vital contribution black African-Caribbean people have made to this city over generations. It will stimulate widespread interest in the way these people have made a cultural impact.”

Author:  Helen Hewitt   tel, 0117 922 2646 

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