History Bogle-L'Ouverture Publications

1 history

1.1 bookshop
1.2 racist attacks , aftermath
1.3 change of name

history

the birth of bogle-l ouverture publications direct response 1968 banning jamaica of historian , scholar walter rodney, teaching @ university of west indies in mona , outside lecture halls had been sharing knowledge , exchanging ideas island s working people, prompting government s censure. thousands of jamaicans took streets protesting ban , in london group of concerned west indians — huntleys, richard small, ewart thomas, andrew salkey , others – decided challenge publishing , distributing rodney s speeches , lectures. these published in 1969 blp s first title, groundings brothers, financed friends , community funding, , reprinted. speaking in 1979 @ event marking blp s 10th anniversary, jessica huntley recalled: political position took.... barely made money pay printer.... gave away lot of copies people people must read it. company went on become original publisher (jointly tanzania publishing house) in 1972 of rodney s influential work how europe underdeveloped africa.

among other notable titles on blp list linton kwesi johnson s dread beat , blood, beryl gilroy s black teacher, several books andrew salkey (a director , long-time supporter of blp), journey illusion: west indian in britain donald hinds, , poetry collections valerie bloom, sam greenlee, lemn sissay, lucinda roy, imruh bakari , john lyons.

bogle-l ouverture involved in educational interventions on behalf of black children , parents — crucially highlighted in bernard coard s how west indian child made educationally subnormal in british school system: scandal of black child in schools in britain (new beacon, 1971); gus john has written: so, when in our work young children discovered black children typically drawing white, or expressing preference white dolls , seeing white friends nicer , more desirable, jessica , eric published eye-catching , upbeat little colouring , story book getting know ourselves [by bernard , phyllis coard, 1972].

bookshop

blp functioned living-room of huntley home in west london, additionally served bookshop teachers come browse , buy, , became meeting place hosted book launches , readings, political , social debates, contributors caribbean, africa, , asia. (early discussions out of caribbean artists movement developed had taken place in huntleys home.) however, after neighbour complained local authorities residential property being used business purposes, huntleys forced move office , sales activities.

in 1974, bogle-l ouverture bookshop opened in chignell place, west ealing; served valuable function of stocking books caribbean, africa , third world, publishers in caribbean , , cultural hub community: bogle-l ouverture became drop in centre parents, school students , teachers came guidance, counselling , direction respect issues concerning studies, essays or theses had write, job applications, employment, career prospects and/or experience of racist institutional cultures or/and racist managers. bogle regularly organized meetings, talks , readings @ bookshop participation of such eminent writers ntozake shange, louise bennett, farrukh dhondy, andrew salkey, sam selvon, kamau brathwaite, merle hodge, petronella breinburg, cecil rajendra, , others.

racist attacks , aftermath

in 1977–79, bookshop targeted attack racist groups, few other outlets radical material — including new beacon books, grassroots , headstart in london, enterprises in nottingham, manchester , birmingham — abusive graffiti repeated daubed on windows , doors, national front literature , excrement pushed through letterbox. jessica huntley recalled: national front used break windows. got threatening calls. gave 7 days move, , if didn t out, s going happen. got calls ku klux klan. everywhere. and, of course, had campaign against , our poster was, not terrorised out of existence . huntleys fellow bookshop owners formed bookshop joint action group raise awareness of attacks through producing leaflets, holding public meetings , picketing home office, resulted in national media coverage forced police take action.

bogle-l ouverture met regularly new beacon books , race today collective part of ongoing alliance determined send strong message racists: not going intimidated , continue publish , sell books . final event gala celebrate bogle-l ouverture publications 10th anniversary. cultural extravaganza held @ commonwealth institute, compered carmen munroe , featuring variety of performers, poets, drummers, dancers , musicians including misty in roots, keith waithe, cecil rajendra, linton kwesi johnson , others. success demonstrated potential event on scale taking place in different parts of london , uk on regular basis. discussed idea of annual book fair, later developed , implemented international book fair of radical black , third world books , held between 1982 , 1995, of jessica huntley joint director john la rose until 1984.

change of name

after walter rodney assassinated in guyana in 1980, bookshop renamed honour him. following changes in publishing industry in 1980s, when small independent publishers , booksellers faced insurmountable competition large multinational conglomerates, bookshop forced close in 1990. beset financial difficulties, caused partly overseas clients defaulting on payment, bogle-l ouverture publications no longer publish using original company imprint; however, efforts of friends of bogle , loyal group of supporters, contributed huntleys ability resume publishing bogle-l ouverture press, once again operating own home.