Spotlight Articles, Reports and Web Sites

July 2002: All Together Now

June 2002: Asians in Britain: 400 years of history by Rozina Visram. Reviewed by Radhika Bynon, Project Researcher (Asian history), The Black Jewish Forum History Project.

April - May 2002: Yaa Asantewaa Arts and Community Centre. This report documents the work of the Yaa Asantewaa Arts and Community Centre - London's longest established centre for African and Caribbean heritage arts, based in Chippenham Mews, Paddington. Background information is provided on Yaa's key aims and objectives, its arts education and community-related initiatives and its rich history as a performing arts venue. Contact details for the Centre and links to its web site are provided, along with information on CASBAH's plans to summarise Yaa's archive collections for the project database.

March - April 2002: The Black Jewish Forum History Project. This web page provides information about, and links to, a history project that was established in 1998 to look at the hidden history of Black-Jewish relations and the comparative experiences of the communities in Britain. The project is based at the Parkes Centre for the Study of Jewish / non-Jewish Relations, University of Southampton, and is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Board.

February - March 2002: 'Calypso: A World Music' - Historical Museum of Southern Florida's project proposal on the transatlantic dissemination of calypso music. This report outlines the key objectives and proposed schedule for the HSMF research project, and details the historical, social and political contexts that have influenced the development and dissemination of calypso since the mid-20th century. Information is provided about the travelling exhibition of textual, audiovisual and photographic resources being developed to support the research, as well as plans for a series of conferences.

January - February 2002: Doing research on the influence of the Caribbean oral tradition on Black British performance poetry, by Eric Doumerc, University of Toulouse-Le Mirail. In this report Eric Doumerc provides information about recent research into the influences behind the work of writers such as John Agard, James Berry, Valerie Bloom, Martin Glynn, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Marsha Prescod, Levi Tafari and Benjamin Zephaniah. Details about the UK-based library and archive collections used for his research are provided, and the report concludes with a select bibliography of works by Black British performance poets.

November - December 2001: The history of Goan Communities in Britain, by Cliff Pereira (Black and Asian Studies Association). Cliff Pereira has contributed this article on the history of Goa and its peoples to the CASBAH web site to provide new information about the longevity of the Goan presence in Britain and links between Britain and Goa dating back to the 17th century. The article opens with background information on the geography of Goa, documents the impact of Portuguese and British colonial rule in the region, and provides insights into the many push and pull factors affecting Goan migrants since the 18th century. There is a detailed section about the migration and re-settlement of Goan peoples from East Africa to the UK, which became known to Goans as the "Exodes", and the report concludes with advice on how to conduct further research into the history of Goan communities in Britain.

N.B. The periodical 'Goan Overseas Digest' (ISSN: 1474-4074) is published quarterly. For further information, please contact: Dr Eddie D'Sa (Editor) via the web site http://www.goancom/overseas-digest.

July - August 2001: A web site featuring research reports about Caribbean English Creole languages and links to Creolist Archives, by Peter Patrick, Professor of Sociolinguistics, University of Essex.

September - October 2001: Channel 4 Black and Asian History Map. This site provides access to the web pages of individuals and groups conducting research into the history and cultural heritage of Black and Asian peoples in Britain. Arranged in the form of a clickable map, visitors to the site can select to find out about exhibitions and research resources located in specific regions of the UK, browse a timeline of key events, or participate in the online discussion forum. The site also features listings of Black History Month events taking place throughout the UK. Visit http://www.channel4.com/blackhistorymap for further information, or contact Jonah Albert (Black History Project Co-ordinator), 4Learning – Channel Four Television, 124 Horseferry Road London SW1P 2TX Tel: 020 7306 5365 E-mail: blackhistorymap@channel4.com.

May - June 2001: Mapping Newspaper and Periodical Sources Relating to the Black and Asian Communities in Britain, by Stella Britzolakis, Resident Tutor, University of Warwick. Based on several weeks of research at the British Library's newspaper collections at Colindale, the article explores how issues pertaining to the life experiences of Black and Asian peoples living in Britain and its former colonies were recorded in sources such as The Philanthropist, The Anti-Slavery Advocate, Fraternity and The African Times throughout the 19th century.