Feedback on the Interviews

It has been really exciting as the project is up and running with interviews completed and we patiently await for transcripts. This has been a fabulous period for the project, as the training of volunteers behind us in Sound Editing, Transcription and Oral History. We have received good feedback from interviewers who have enjoyed the process of taking time out from their hectic schedules to tell their story.

As you can appreciate getting people what they did some twenty years ago is an awesome job. There is also that delicate balance of ensuring we record the main themes as well as anecdotes, plus prompting appropriately.

We also had an excellent session with Dr.Abiola Ogunsola, University of East London Senior Lecture Programme Leader Education and Community Development. Her talk on how volunteers could possibly consider studying for a Phd and gave much food for thought.

Our next talk in April will be from Dr Kimberly Springer, Lecturer in American Studies and author of several books on Africam-American women's organisation's Kings College London on US Black Feminist Organising: A Comparison.

Update on the Oral History Project

Heart of the Race

The Oral History Project of the Black Womens Movement is of to an excellent start. We had a tremendous response in our call out for volunteers and still receive calls long after the closing date for further information and other opportunities.


We have now recruited for interviewers and transcribers who have all received training at our offices in Kennington. Plus we ran an induction evening event for all who expressed an interest in finding out some more about the project. There was a tremendous buzz in the room with new friends of the BCA developing.

Currently we are matching interviewers to our interviewees, and suspect by the end of the month for the project to fully develop. As interviews are completed and the real work of transcribing begins. This is a very fascinating project which has really captured the black community across the UK.

Welcome to the first posting of the Oral History Project of the Black Women's Movement. Taking as a starting point the book 'The Heart of the Race' by Beverley Bryan, Stella Dadzie and Suzanne Scafe (Virago, 1985). An oral history project has been set up by the Black Cultural Archives and is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

We are keen to hear from Black Women who were part of the Women's Movement from the 70s . Ideally we would like to hear your memories of being involved with Organisation of Women of African & Asian descent(OWAAD) . I have fond memories of attending conference at the Abeng Centre Gresham Road where Black women came in large numbers .

So if you have leaflets, pamphlets, reports and posters from this period and of course your memories do get in touch.


Mia Morris

miay@bcaheritage.org.uk
m: 07903 081 310
t: 0207 582 8516

BLACK CULTURAL ARCHIVES
1 Othello CloseLondonSE11 4RE
www.bcaheritage.org.uk.