The History of the George Padmore Institute

The George Padmore Institute (GPI) was co-founded in 1991 by Trinidadian poet, publisher and trade unionist John La Rose, editor Sarah White (local residents) and others, including our present chair, Roxy Harris. It grew out of a collective of people who had been involved in the establishment of Britain’s first black bookshop and publisher New Beacon Books, which opened in 1966. The GPI and New Beacon Books share the same building, a Victorian terrace property on Stroud Green Road in Finsbury Park. Named after the leading Trinidadian Pan-Africanist George Padmore, the GPI serves as an educational hub and resource housing archives on black Caribbean, African and Asian communities in post-war Britain. Our collections detail and capture some of the most significant and creative campaigns of resistance against racism and imperialism organised by black communities in Britain and across Europe. These collections include documents and materials relating to the Caribbean Artists Movement (CAM), the Black Parents Movement (BPM), European Action for Racial Equality and Social Justice and more.

Social and Cultural Significance of the Area

The borough of Haringey in which the George Padmore Institute is located is of significant importance to our history and that of the history of many of our archival collections. From the founding of the Black Education Movement in Haringey to the establishment of the George Padmore and Albertina Sylvester Supplementary Schools on our doorstep in Finsbury Park, the history of political and cultural campaigns in the struggle against racial inequality and black led organisations is at the heart of this borough.

Event Host and Speaker Biography

The event on 16 September will involve an exploration of our collections on black people in post-war Britain led by our archivist, Sarah Garrod. Sarah has over 20 years’ experience as an archivist and joined our team in 2003. We will also be setting up a book stall with our Trustee and Treasurer Sharmilla Beezmohun on the day to sell some of our publications and give visitors the opportunity to ask us more about the history of the GPI. Sharmilla has worked in publishing since 1994, training at Virago and at Heinemann (African and Caribbean Writers Series). For eleven years she was Deputy Editor of Wasafiri magazine. In 2010 she co-founded Speaking Volumes Live Literature Productions with Sarah Sanders.