Making history: Haringey Vanguard
Making history: Haringey Vanguard
One of the brilliant projects doing great LGBTQ+ work in the borough is the Haringey Vanguard Project. Here’s what the participants have to say about their history project:
Haringey Vanguard is a BAME LGBTQ+ project which covers the 1970s-1990s. We collect film footage, ephemera, leaflets and information about events, newsletters and poetry, which offers a vivid insight into the activities and the social and cultural impact of the BAME LGBTQ+ community during this period.
We work with Haringey Archive and Museum Service (HAMS) at Bruce Castle, supported by London Metropolitan Archives (LMA) to explore existing collections and to provide opportunities for people to deposit their own digitised, physical or oral history material. With many people moving out of the borough, downsizing, or sadly passing away, we want to encourage local residents to have a fresh look at their materials as they can be of value and help towards unearthing this important history.
Some of our 2019 highlights include our intergenerational discussion with BAME LGBTQ+ activists Olivette Cole Wilson and Ted Brown, Social Media and Activism workshop with Savi Hensmen, which saw our young volunteers produce beautiful artwork for Pride festivals, and our attendance at the ALMS Queering Conference in Berlin.
Haringey Vanguard was the focus of the Provoke LGBTQ+ Conference at the London Metropolitan Archives in December with contributions from many prominent speakers including local residents Femi Otitoju and DJ Ritu.
For 2020 we hope to collect 30 Oral histories from BAME LGBTQ+ people, so please consider sharing your story with us, so we can preserve this crucial history, and provide insight for younger people interested in local history and LGBTQ+ lives.
For LGBTQ+ month we are organising a History walk on February 23rd to highlight some of the local places that were important to the BAME LGBTQ+ community in the 70s and 80s.
From Shebeen's to community organisations, and the Black Lesbian and Gay Centre, Haringey was a hotbed of activity! If you're interested please email haringeyvanguard@gmail.com
