[Haiti-London-Konbit] Fwd: CLR James Library/London - Open Letter against proposed name change

Mon Oct 4 19:58:40 UTC 2010

Hi Ana Laura et al,

I agree that this would be a great opportunity to commemorate CLR  
James and create some educational projects around him.
Do you mean the Rio in Dalston? That would be great. Or even Cafe  
Otto. I'm sure OPEN Dalston could be involved too and maybe even  
Winstan Whitter who made the film about the 4 Aces club in Dalston  
(which was a few doors up from the CLR James Library). Winstan's film  
is showing for three nights this week at the BHVU gallery in Stoke  
Newington. Details here:

http://www.bhvu.co.uk/#/legacy-in-the-dust/4542734465

I will go along on Wednesday and have a chat with him about these ideas.

Best,

John

Let's move forward on this
On 4 Oct 2010, at 01:43, Haiti-London-Konbit wrote:

> Hi
>
> We had a similar issue with Olive Morris House in Brixton, when they  
> tried to remove the name of the building, we spent months wasting  
> our time in meeting with Council officials, and in the end we got it  
> sorted in a month by writing to Lambeth Chief executive, demanding  
> to know what was he doing to stop the erasure of the memory of a  
> civil rights hero, accompanied by a South London Press article where  
> very prominent local leaders (inc LKJ who was his friend) were  
> expressing their concern, SLP is at war with the council so they  
> piled it up thick, we also did lobbying with MP and councillors, and  
> the name and dedication was reinstated in a flash
>
> it seems to me that with that A-list of supporters they won't have  
> much trouble getting the name to stay, I will circulate the note to  
> our Olive Morris mailing list. However, I think it might be a nice  
> opportunity to remember who CLR James was and what was and is his  
> relevance, I don't think many young people these days know much  
> about him. I'd be up for organising something along those lines. I  
> know the BBC filmed some interviews with him in the 1970s, at his  
> house at Railton Road, maybe we can track that stuff and watch it +  
> a discussion? maybe the LUX in Dalston will be up for hosting  
> something?
>
> all best
>
> ana laura
>
> On Sun, Oct 3, 2010 at 10:36 PM, Haiti-London-Konbit <haiti-london-konbit at lists.aktivix.org 
> > wrote:
> Hello Konbit,
>
> Please see the forwarded message. If anyone would like to meet to  
> discuss potential actions on this please let me know.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> John
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>> From: Global Women's Strike <gws at globalwomenstrike.net>
>> Date: 1 October 2010 04:50:18 PDT (CA)
>> To: jcussans at gmail.com
>> Subject: CLR James Library/London - Open Letter against proposed  
>> name change
>> Reply-To: gws at globalwomenstrike.net
>>
>> Please support the Open letter, sign the petition and circulate  
>> widely.
>>
>>
>>
>> The Arts in Harmony Network
>> Honorary Patron: Diane Abbott, MP
>> HCVS, Unit 84 Springfield House, 5 Tyssen Street, London, E8 2LY
>> Tel: 020 7923 8360 / 1962 - Fax: 020 7275 8577
>> Website: http://www.bemanetwork.org.uk  - Email:  
>> bemaadmin at hcvs.org.uk
>>
>> Open letter to the Council of the London Borough of Hackney
>>
>> The decision to lose the name CLR James library when the proposed  
>> new facility is built as part of the Dalston Square Development is  
>> nothing short of scandalous. It is a scandal that no individual  
>> seems prepared to take responsibility for, but one for which  
>> someone needs to be held accountable.
>>
>> The Council says that the name of the library should reflect its  
>> geographical location.  Why? Dalston Station is less than a hundred  
>> metres from the proposed location of the new library and Dalston  
>> Kingsland Station almost as close, so it is inconceivable that many  
>> users (most of whom will be local) will wander into the library not  
>> knowing where in the world they are. It is also perhaps worth  
>> noting that those in other parts of the borough, throughout London,  
>> nationally and internationally are more likely to be aware of the  
>> facility because it is called CLR James Library than because it is  
>> in Dalston.  What will follow, changing the name Ridley Road Market  
>> to Dalston Market? Another reason put forward is that as the  
>> library will house the borough archives, the name should perhaps  
>> also reflect this. Then why not call the new building, ‘The C.L.R.  
>> James Library & Archives - Dalston’? This is not an overly long  
>> name and would satisfy the stated requirements of the Council as  
>> well as the demands of the campaigners; both parties would be seen  
>> to be acting in the interest of the community and of common sense.
>>
>> The African Caribbean community in Hackney make very few demands  
>> (or even requests) of its Council and it would understandably be  
>> perceived as a huge insult if this modest and reasonable request  
>> was denied. It would be an insult not just to its African Caribbean  
>> residents and staff, not only to the family and memory of this  
>> great intellectual, literary figure and humanitarian. It would also  
>> be an insult to all those in the borough and beyond who are aware  
>> and proud of Hackney’s long history of taking a principled stand  
>> with regards to matters of public interest and its positive  
>> approach to community members from all cultural backgrounds.
>>
>> The library was so named after members of Hackney’s staff and  
>> community made a sound case for honouring a legendary figure,  
>> acknowledged by forward thinking academics, writers and even  
>> cricket lovers. As has been pointed out by the campaign organisers  
>> and by many on line petitioners; the decision to name the facility  
>> ‘the CLR James Library’ was seen as Hackney  making a public  
>> statement and commitment regarding the literary contribution of  
>> African Caribbean people to world literature. This was appropriate  
>> in a borough with such a high percentage of African Caribbean  
>> people. It would be just as profound a statement if this  
>> recognition was now rescinded.
>>
>> This is an issue that rather than become a much bigger problem than  
>> it currently is, can be made to go away just by the taking of a  
>> rational and correct decision. It should not require a petition,  
>> deputation to the Council, judicial review or demonstrations.
>>
>> Signed by:
>>
>> Selma James (widow of CLR James)
>>
>> Professor Gus John, Founder Trustee of the George Padmore Institute  
>> and former Director of Education and Leisure Services in Hackney
>>
>> Judith Jacob, Actress (Eastenders, No Problem & the Real McCoy  
>> (Yabba Yabba)
>>
>> Cllr Patrick Vernon, Queensbridge Ward (London Borough of Hackney)
>>
>> Professor Richard Drayton, Department of History Kings College London
>>
>> Cllr Carole Williams - Hoxton (London Borough of Hackney)
>>
>> Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Vicar of Westminster, Chaplain to the  
>> House of Commons & Hackney resident
>>
>> Linton Kwesi Johnson, poet
>>
>> Ngoma Bishop, Chair of the Black & Ethnic Minority Arts Network  
>> (BEMA), House of Arts & Music Promotion Services (H-AMPS) and Save  
>> the CLR James Library Campaign Coordinator
>>
>> Andrea Enisuoh, Hackney Unites & CLR James Library Campaign  
>> Administrator
>>
>>
>> http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/saveclrjameslibrary/
>>
>> Change email address / Leave mailing list
>> Powered by YMLP
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Haiti-London-Konbit mailing list
> Haiti-London-Konbit at lists.aktivix.org
> https://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/listinfo/haiti-london-konbit
>
>
>
>
> -- 
> *********************************
> Ana Laura Lopez de la Torre
>
> Studio 3
> temporarycontemporary
> Unit 1 - Camberwell Trading Estate
> 117-119 Denmark Road
> London SE5 9LB
>
> T: +44 (0)20-8674 2992
> M: +44 (0)7891 702 419
> E: lopez.analaura at gmail.com
> W: http://www.lopezdelatorre.org
> _______________________________________________
> Haiti-London-Konbit mailing list
> Haiti-London-Konbit at lists.aktivix.org
> https://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/listinfo/haiti-london-konbit

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.aktivix.org/pipermail/haiti-london-konbit/attachments/20101004/b041b783/attachment.htm>