These are some
of the facts about the Black and Asian communities which have
lived and worked in London for over 500 years. In the past,
research into their history and development was difficult and
time consuming due to the large number of sources involved.
Now that task should become easier. The British Library
has
helped fund an online database of Black and Asian Londoners
between 1536-1840 which will provide information about these
communities in London during this period.
Data will
include names and area of residence based on information from
church registers, family papers in the London Metropolitan
Archives (LMA) and material from the British Library and the
India Office. The database will also look at migration to the
capital among these groups, and identify links between these
and overseas communities.
GBP30,000 has
been awarded to the LMA to create the database. Funded through
the British Library's Co-operation and Partnership Programme
(CPP) and Re:source, The Council for Museums, Archives and
Libraries, the project's completion will coincide with Black
History Month in October 2002.
 Blacks and Asians have lived in
London over the centuries
Head Archivist
of the LMA, Deborah Jenkins said: "This project is one of the
most ambitious of its kind, as it covers sources for several
centuries of London history from 1536 onwards. We know from
incidental references that there have been Black and Asian
Londoners for a very long time. It is marvellous to have a
chance to research this in depth."
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She continued: "London Metropolitan
Archives has participated in the celebration of Black History
Month for three years running and the database will be the
core of an exhibition for Black History Month in October 2002.
Thanks to the support of the British Library and Re:source, we
now believe that Black History Month 2002 will be one of the
very best."
British Library curator Carole
Holden said: "Black and Asian people have been part of our
community for at least five centuries. The British Library is
pleased to co-fund and participate in a project which will
both raise awareness of this and facilitate research. We are
already a partner in the Research Support Libraries Programme
CASBAH project, which is working to identify and map national
research resources for the history of Black and Asian people
in Britain. The London Metropolitan Archives project will make
a significant contribution to this mapping
process."
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