Shades of Noir and the George Padmore Institute are pleased to announce a dynamic collaboration which will enable researchers to access rare artefacts, such as the British Black Panther (BBP) newspapers online.
The George Padmore Institute (GPI) is an archive, educational research and information centre housing materials relating mainly to the black community of Caribbean, African and Asian descent in Britain and continental Europe. This collaboration has allowed Shades of Noir to present and archive digitised copies of the British Black Panther newspapers. The British Black Panther newspapers are testimony to a time when social injustices were unravelling beyond control. This documentation aims to share the history of such events and is a necessary reference to the development of social justices and is highly relevant in today's society in regards to the Black Lives Matter movement.
This work will provide online open access to those seeking information on the archives at the George Padmore Institute and the British Black Panther images will be available to view for non-commercial research and educational purposes via the Shades of Noir website. - Jessica Anoche, Shades of Noir Archivist
“2016-18 were critical years in my understanding of the importance of memory work in the advancement of causes of social justice. At the time I was studying art conservation and leading on the Shades of Noir Digital Archives project, and through this work I was often confronted with the importance of cultural and heritage material and the power of preservation. Fortunately, I had the community of Shades of Noir to support not only my personal growth and approach to memory work, but (more importantly) to develop strategies and platforms to manifest these ideals into practice and real community resources. I contacted Sarah Garrod, the archivist at the George Padmore Institute (GPI) to better understand the Institutes holdings and their condition. It seemed that one of the most vulnerable collections was the British Black Panther Newsletters as they are heavily accessed by visitors and printed on quickly deteriorating material. It was decided that SoN would digitise the collection and host the newsletters on its online platform. This serves the spirit of the newsletters — to make visible the experiences of those resistors and survivors of cultural annihilation; and it serves the mission of kindred collaborators GPI and SoN to activate cultural presence and give community access to its history.“
Tabatha Austin - Shades of Noir archivist
“When Tabatha at Shades of Noir got in touch about digitising the British Black Panther newspapers, I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to broaden the access to this valuable resource and to ensure its preservation, as this is a frequently handled collection. Many researchers come from across London and all over the world to analyse and research the archive collections held at the George Padmore Institute. With regular viewing and handling, the condition of the material, in this case the British Black Panther newspapers, becomes progressively more fragile. With Shade of Noir’s support in digitising the newspapers, this not only improves their preservation but will also provide remote access, assisting researchers who are unable to travel to view the collection on site.”
Sarah Garrod - GPI archivist
“We are very excited to share our networks and apply our expertise to support the George Padmore Institute. The digitisation of historical artefacts such as the British Black Panther newsletters is of real significance in supporting the marginalised narratives that informs the generations after. The collaboration between Shades of Noir (SoN) and George Padmore will hopefully be the beginning of many more where SoN can digitise and house more of their collection”
Aisha Richards - Shades of Noir Creator
