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CREATURE x TLTU on Anti-Apartheid Legacy: Material Culture, Heritage and Now

Focusing on material culture derived from the Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM), Anti-Apartheid Legacy: Material Culture, Heritage and Now examines the ways in which objects and material artefacts unfold the legacy of AAM.

New interpretations of AAM heritage and its contemporary relevance are illuminated through archival study, visual and oral histories, and documentation of commonplace artefacts that have been collected over the years from a range of people involved in the AAM in Britain.

This has involved exploring the collections of Christabel Gurney, activist, historian, and editor of Anti-Apartheid News between 1969 to 1980; Tom Bell, who was recruited to smuggle into South Africa Bucket Bombs (harmless devices) that exploded ANC leaflets into the air; Jeff Howarth, London Met’s Academic Liaison Librarian for our university’s TUC Library Collection which holds archival materials from the AAM. 

Suitcase with a false bottom used by London Recruit Tom Bell to smuggle illegal material into South

Image by Dr Ekua McMorris. A suitcase with a false bottom used by London Recruit Tom Bell to smuggle illegal material into South Africa during the 1970’s .

 

Project details

Research team
Professor Wessie Ling, PI, London Met
Dr Ekua McMorris, RA, London Met
Caroline Kamana, Director of Liliesleaf Trust UK
 
 
Funder
London Met
 
Project duration
2022-3

Project

  • To examine the ways in which objects and material artefacts unfold the legacy of AAM through the study of existing material artefacts in Anti-Apartheid focused archives across the country
  • To investigate the ways in which cultural understanding is produced in the past through material culture and consider how everyday objects and oral histories may produce new understandings legacy of the anti-apartheid movement
  • To engage with a range of people and the community involved in the AAM in Britain to collect oral histories on their connection, memories and experience with AAM.
Knowledge exchange
  • An interactive Padlet, a digital and interactive platform documenting the outcomes of the project. This includes the oral histories and photographed objects related to the AAM. The Padlet page allows visitors to the site to engage with the objects, listen to audio clips from oral history interviews, as well reading memories that have been activated by the participants engagement with some of the objects.
Public outreach

Read the project report here.