Lambeth Council’s libraries service have coordinated author talks, readings, poetry, opera, dance, book fairs, reading groups, painting and photographic exhibitions for adults and children across Lambeth throughout October and beyond.
To see the programme visit Black History Month | Lambeth Council.
Word from the Deputy Leader
Cllr Ciara Alleyne, Lambeth’s Deputy Leader, said: “Lambeth’s Black communities have contributed so much to our borough, so we are using this month to celebrate our long-standing and proud African and Caribbean culture.
“It’s a really brilliant programme of events here in Lambeth and a great opportunity to learn more about the experiences of the Windrush Generation, the history of British reggae, Black achievement and so much more. I look forward to seeing you there.”
Brixton Splash landmark
This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the Brixton Splash event which ran from 2006 to 2016 after being established by community leaders Ros Griffiths and Blacker Dread to celebrate Brixton and its diverse communities.
Ros said: “The vision was to create something that represented the whole of Brixton: a celebration that was peaceful, positive and rooted in local pride. The first Brixton Splash attracted more than three times the 1,500 expected. From there, it grew rapidly, becoming one of Brixton’s biggest annual street events and a much-anticipated celebration.
“The event also provided an opportunity to challenge some of the negative perceptions of Brixton, while recognising the discrimination and inequalities experienced by its Black communities.
“Brixton Splash was also notable for the partnership it fostered between the community, Lambeth Council and the police. One of its lasting lessons was the importance of policing with consent and building relationships between communities and those responsible for keeping people safe.”
Wider cultural contribution
Brixton Splash’s contribution to Brixton’s cultural life sits alongside the continued growth of Black-led creativity and community activity in the area, including the Black Cultural Archives, the development of Brixton House and the ongoing work to celebrate and animate Windrush Square.
To watch a video on how Brixton Splash started visit youtube.com. All the Brixton Splash materials have been donated to the Lambeth Archives in Brixton Hill and will feature in a future exhibition.
Lost photos on show
This year for Black History Month, the Lambeth Archives is also hosting an exhibition of work by Charles Gimpel, a holocaust survivor who became an important figure in London’s artistic community in the 1950s and ‘60s. As an amateur photographer who developed close ties to the Black Community in Brixton, throughout the 1960s he took photos of family events, pubs and street scenes.
He died in the 1970s, but following the recent discovery of his photos, his son has donated all of the Brixton prints and negatives to Lambeth Archives for the exhibition: From Mayfair to Brixton: the photography of Charles Gimpel, which will run for the whole of October at Lambeth Archives, 16 Brixton Hill.
