Dear list member,
The following message provides information about the research work,
publications and campaign activities of the Black and Asian Studies
Association (BASA), as well as details about how archivists, librarians and
other records/information managers can become involved in the work of the
Association's Research Resources Working Party:
INTRODUCTION:
Black and Asian people in Britain have contributed in many varied ways to
Britain's economic, political, social and cultural development - both
directly through living and working here - and indirectly through the
profits of slavery and colonial exploitation.
Examples of outstanding people and their achievements include:
* Olaudah Equiano (c.1745-1797) - a leading fighter against the slave
trade
* Robert Wedderburn (b. 1762) and William Davidson (1786-1820) -
activists in radical reform campaigns of the 1810s and 1820s
* William Cuffay (1788-1870) - leader of the London Chartists
campaigning for the vote in the 1840s
* Mary Seacole (1805-1881) - a famous Jamaican-born nurse and writer
who was awarded the Crimean Medal and the French Legion of Honour for her
services to nursing during the Crimean War
* Samuel Coleridge Taylor (1875-1912) - a leading classical composer
* John Archer (1863-1932) - Britain's first black mayor (Mayor of
Battersea in 1913/4)
* Sir Mancherjee Bhownaggree (1851-1933) and Dadabhai Naoroji
(1825-1916) - MPs in the late 1890s and early 1900s
* Noor Inayat Khan (1914-1943) - a British secret agent and WWII
heroine.
* Claudia Jones (1915-1964) - founder of the West Indian Gazette and
what eventually became the Notting Hill Carnival
* Krishna Menon (1897-1974), George Padmore (c.1902-1959), Amy Ashwood
Garvey (1897-1968), Robert Broadhurst (1864-1948), C.L.R. James (1901-1989)
and many other political activists who campaigned against imperialism and
racism
* Thousands of Caribbeans, Africans and Asian peoples who fought on
the Western Front and elsewhere in both World Wars
Etc...
In order to ensure that the histories and lived experiences of individuals
like the above - and the collective contributions of all minority ethnic
peoples to British culture and society - are acknowledged, researched and
celebrated more widely, the Black and Asian Studies Association (BASA) was
formerly established in 1991 and its work continues to this day.
Currently based at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies (University of
London) BASA's membership includes academic researchers, teachers, local
historians, students, information managers, community workers and other
individuals concerned with uncovering historical information about the
longevity of the black and Asian presence in the UK - particularly primary
data sourced from archival materials such as parish registers, family and
estate papers, government documents, and the archives of political
organisations, etc.
CURRENT MEMBERSHIP:
BASA has an elected Management Committee, an education sub-committee, a
Research Resources Working Party (focussing on the work of archives, museums
and libraries) and a membership of over 200 subscribers.
THE BASA NEWSLETTER:
On payment of an annual subscription each member of BASA is entitled to
receive - and contribute to - the Association's newsletter, published 3
times per academic year (ISSN: 0969-4722) and featuring the following
regular sections:
* biographies of historic figures
* book reviews
* information about historical documents and parish register
information on the longevity of the black and Asian presence in Britain
* research findings/reports
* original articles
* reports on BASA activities
WHO CAN JOIN?
Membership of BASA is open to individuals, organisations and institutions
supporting the aims of: (a) encouraging the study, publishing, teaching and
research into the history of African, Asian and Caribbean peoples in
Britain, and (b) fostering the collection and preservation of all archives,
artefacts (and other research resources) relating to the history of black
and Asian peoples in Britain and wider Diaspora studies.
If you are interested in joining the Association for the forthcoming
academic year 2002/3, subscription rates are:
£10 for institutions
£8 for individuals/schools/community groups
£5 for students, the retired, low-waged and unemployed people
Subscriptions cover three issues of the newsletter (issued in October 2002,
January 2003 and April 2003) and membership also entitles you to elect
BASA's Management Committee at the AGM, contribute to special project work
and receive concessionary rates for entry to the Association's annual
conference. To join, please print, complete and return the subscription form
at the end of this message.
HOW IS BASA RELEVANT TO LIS-LINKERS?
The work of the Association most relevant to LIS-LINKERS is the BASA
Research Resources Working Party, formulated as a result of a National
Conference on Ethnic Minority Archives convened by the Association on 23
January 1999. The conference drew attention to the fact that there is - and
has always been - a lack of easily accessible information on the
records/archives of peoples of African, Caribbean and Asian descent - and
other minority ethnic groups - who have contributed to UK heritage over the
centuries. Since its inception the Working Party has sought to address this
issue and raise awareness about the wealth of recorded history on the black
and Asian presence in Britain housed in various types of libraries,
archives, museums, community organisations and other repositories throughout
the country. (NB: For example, it was with the support and expertise of RRWP
members that I was able to produce an important report on subject indexing
and thesaurus construction for the information sector via my work at the
CASBAH (Caribbean Studies; Black and Asian History) project earlier this
year - see http://www.casbah.ac.uk/IndexingMay2002.doc).
BASA'S EMAIL DISCUSSION FORUM:
BASA have recently set up a listserve (via JISCmail) which is open to all.
To join the list, please visit the web site www.jiscmail.ac.uk and select
BASA from the A-Z index of public lists. Alternatively, please reply to this
message (c/o Carol Dixon <[log in to unmask]> )asking for your email
address to be added to the list.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Kind regards
Carol Dixon
BASA Listserve Manager ([log in to unmask])
List Archive: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/BASA.html
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MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION FORM:
(Please print out and return with your cheque by post c/o Mr Fabian
Tompsett, BASA Treasurer (or Ms Marika Sherwood, BASA Secretary), Institute
of Commonwealth Studies, 28 Russell Square, London, WC1B 5DS).
Your
name:.......................................................................
...............................................................
Your address:
............................................................................
.......................................................
............................................................................
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Post code:............................................. Email address:
...............................................................
Please also answer 'YES' or 'NO' to the following:
BASA may keep the information about my membership and newsletter
subscription in an appropriate data format. YES/NO
BASA may pass my membership/subscription details to related organisations to
promote activities linked to the history of black and Asian peoples in
Britain. YES/NO
NB: If applying for membership of the Black and Asian Studies Association,
cheques should be made payable to BASA.
Membership of the BASA listserve is free and open to all via
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/BASA.html
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