Hello all!
I am researching the Harambee project in Islington which was around in the early 1970s and was looking for some help. I'm currently a student at Bristol University who is interested in pursuing this as a case study looking into race in the UK for my final year dissertation. Originally photographed in the 70s, and displayed in the Sunday Times, the hostel was quickly nicknamed by the media as 'The Black House' due to its proximity to Michael X's lair.
I am currently using Colin Jones' photographs, and amongst other things will be looking into the project archives, council archives, and media portrayal (local and national). But what I am most interested in getting a more personal history of the time and place - to get a real sense of the hostel, what it was like to live there, what sort of people were there, and how it was seen by the community.
I was wondering if anyone here had any recollections of this hostel, or knew anyone that was involved in project (or were involved themselves)? Particularly of interest would be any memories of Brother Herman Edwards.
Any help would be amazing - even if you think its not entirely relevant I'd really appreciate any thoughts you had on this hostel, racism at the time, self-help projects, identity issues, or even just another similar self-help initiative - anything!
Thanks in advance!
Amy
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