Public History Festivals
The Raphael Samuel History Centre runs regular Public History Festivals. We work with a network of heritage and archive organisations, which we convene. The History and Heritage Adult Learning London Network (HHALL) works together to deliver engaging public history events around a particular theme.
MIGRATION: A PUBLIC HISTORY FESTIVAL
More events and information to follow.
All events are free and open to all unless otherwise stated.
- 31 May, 6.30-8pm: Remembering Judith Kerr, refugee author of The Tiger Who Came to Tea, The Wiener Holocaust Library, 29 Russell Sq, London, WC1B 5DP.
- 2 June, 6pm: Refugee Week Film Screening: Silence Heard Loud, 43 Gordon Sq, London WC1H 0PD.
- 8 June, 5-6.30pm: Unlocking the Archives: Migration in the Sound Collections, British Library, 96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB.
- 12 June, 6pm: Raphael Samuel Memorial Lecture, 'Walking Against the Expulsive Environment: Refugee Tales and the Politics of Welcome', Professor David Herd, Peston Lecture Theatre, Graduate Centre, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS.
- 16 June, 1-2pm: LGBTQ Archiving in Johannesburg and London: a queer conversation, Birkbeck, University of London, WC1B 4HS.
- 17 June, 11.30-1pm: Free creative drawing workshop about the refugees from The Swimmers, National Maritime Museum, Romney Rd, London, SE10 9NF.
- 17 June, 1.45-3.45pm: Free creative workshop: Unfolding Stories - an interactive creative conversation with LGBTQ+ refugees, National Maritime Museum, Romney Rd, London, SE10 9NF.
- 19 June, 6-8pm: Remembering the Ship in Citizenship: An Evening with John Agard and a Celebration of the 75th Anniversary of Windrush, Senate House, The Beveridge Hall, Ground Floor, Senate House, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HU
- 20 June, 6.30pm: Migrating into the Past of the Future: Stefan Zweig's Experience and Conception of 'Exile', a lecture by Rüdiger Görner
- 21 June, 5.30pm: A screening of The Swimmers followed by a panel discussion, National Maritime Museum, Romney Rd, London, SE10 9NF.
- 23 June, 6pm: How to Build a Home: Representing Migration Stories, Museum of the Home, 136 Kingsland Road, London, E2 8EA
- 24 June, 11am-1pm: Solidarity Cafe hosted by Stories & Supper, Walthamstow, Peterhouse Community Centre, 122 Forest Rise, Walthamstow, E17 3PW
- 25 June, 2.30pm: Bold Defiance - Spitalfields stories about migrant self-organisation for their rights over 300 years. A guided walking tour. Brushfield St, London, E1.
- 27 June, 6.30pm: Living Memory - In Conversation with Living Memory artist Catrine Val.
- 1 July, 3pm: 'The Exiles of Soho', a historical walking tour with Dr Thomas C. Jones. Soho Square Gardens, London W1D 3QJ
- 2 July, 11am-1pm: Remembering Rosemary Lane: a guided walk and talk on Irish migrant life in Victorian Whitechapel, Whitechapel.
- 4 July, 6pm: At the Heart of the Nation: Migration and the NHS, Royal College of Nursing, 20 Cavendish Sq, London, W1G 0RN.
- 12 July, 2-8pm: Migrant nurses in the NHS - historical legacies and current challenges, London Metropolitan University, 166-220 Holloway Road London N7 8DB
- Bengali Photo Archive Project at Morpeth School. The Swadhinata Trust will provide a guest speaker at the Summer Fayre who will present the Bengali Photo Archive Project, with an invitation to Morpeth School and its community to contribute to the collection. This is a closed event for invited guests, staff, pupils and family and/or relatives of pupils at the school. Read more about pupils from Morpeth School who fought back against racism in the 1980s.
- Rethinking Race in British Labour History: a podcast - available online throughout the festival.
- History Workshop migration special: articles and podcasts free online throughout the festival.
Past events
AIDS CULTURES AND HISTORIES (2018)
- The festival took place across London throughout July 2018, and was open to all. Many events were free to attend. It aimed to explore how HIV/AIDS has been experienced, represented and remembered. Events included workshops, film screenings, party nights, music, talks and performance.
- The festival was convened by the Raphael Samuel History Centre with Bridges events curated by Ash Kotak at Aesthesia. The festival also relied upon many partners across heritage, academic and charitable sector organisations.
LONDON AT WAR: A HISTORY FESTIVAL (2014)
- With walks, workshops, lectures and talks, this special events series explored some of the unexpected dimensions of the city during the two World Wars.
- Taking place throughout May 2014, the series was convened by the Raphael Samuel History Centre and some of the museums, archives and galleries which make up its History and Heritage Adult Learning Network (HHALL).
- Events included a keynote lecture from renowned public history author Professor Jerry White, a tour of the National Maritime Museum, a talk on Sex in the Wartime City, and one about animals and humans on the London Home Front 1939-1945.
GAMES WEEK: A CELEBRATION OF GAMES IN HISTORY (2012)
- History and Heritage Adult Learning London network, convened by the Raphael Samuel History Centre, held a week-long celebration of games in history from 7-15 July 2012, with events at leading museums and archives across London.
- Whether discovering children’s forgotten street games, finding out about stadium architecture, or learning about Nazi board games, there was something for every age and interest.
- Follow-on events ran from August 2012 to July 2013; there were monthly ‘behind the scenes’ tours and events at each of the venues giving people the chance to understand more about how some of London’s top archives and museums worked, and to see things not normally on display.
A CELEBRATION OF FOOD IN HISTORY (2011)
- The History and Heritage Adult Learning Network, convened by the Raphael Samuel History Centre, held a week-long celebration of food in history from 14-20 May 2011, with events at leading museums and archives across London.
- From learning about the eating habits of the famous to sampling foods from around the world, the week offered something for every age and culinary taste.
PAST CARING: A CELEBRATION OF LOVE IN HISTORY (2010)
- The Raphael Samuel History Centre, (then a partnership between Birkbeck, Bishopsgate Institute and the University of East London) was awarded a £27,000 grant to host ‘Past Caring: A Celebration of Love in History’.
- This week-long festival of events, timed to coincide with Valentine's Day 2010, brought together a diverse group of 11 heritage, history and HE partners to deliver a series of walks, workshops, talks and exhibitions.
- The grant was one of 213 awarded from the £20 million Transformation Fund, launched by the Government to offer funding for innovative informal adult learning projects in England. More than 1,400 applications for funding were received.