Dear Colleagues
You may or may not have heard that East Midlands Oral History Archive's
application to the Heritage Lottery Fund has been turned down. The HLF felt
that there was not enough financial commitment from the main partner in the
bid.
As a result, could I suggest that we all write to the Vice Chancellor at the
University of Leicester declaring our disappoint at the forthcoming loss of
EMOHA which has played such an important role in promoting the significance
and importance of oral history as a discipline in its own right as well as
the huge opportunities for using it as a tool within other academic
disciplines. In addition, in the context of widening participation,
reaching out to community groups and developing an inclusive approach to
history and lifelong learning in general, Cynthia and her team have played
an important role in reaching new audiences and excluded groups. Oral
history is a particularly important mechanism for ensuring that the hidden/
excluded histories of our Black communities and individuals, as well as
those of ethnic groups, are represented within mainstream British history
rather than something completely separate and ghettoised. EMOHA have done a
number of interviews with Black people living in Leicestershire eg working
in the NHS and Carnival.
I shall be writing on behalf of our project, a community-led organisation
attempting to promote and record the hidden histories of our Black
communities. We have received significant professional support and advice
from EMOHA here in the East Midlands over the last year. It has also been
important for us to be able to seek this advice from a body in our region
and helped us to consider the potential regional/natiional impact of our own
project.
It is really important that the University of Leicester appreciate the
significance of the loss of this asset and the opportunities that the staff
at EMOHA were able to bring to the city of Leicester and the region. It is
also a warning to other funding/ time limited projects about the
sustainability and long term commitment of partners.
Don't delay and send your letter today! Your letter needs to be sent to:
Professor Robert Burgess
Vice Chancellor
University of Leiceter
University Road
Leicester LE1 7EH
or via email: [log in to unmask]
Best wishes
Carolyn
Northamptonshire Black History Project
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