Contributions wanted to document legacy of 1981 Uprising

Brixtonites are being called upon to contribute towards The People’s Collection, an archive documenting the legacy of the 1981 Uprising in Brixton today.

The People’s Collection is a participatory digital archive that documents how the people of Brixton experience the legacy of the 1981 Uprisings today. The archive demonstrates how the Uprisings have impacted on the lives of the people who live, work, love and play in Brixton.

Brixton Blog are excited to be partnering with 81 Acts of Exuberant Defiance on The People’s Collection, and are calling for contributions from people of all ages in Brixton.

Contributions can consist of anything that documents an experience of the Uprising in the last 40 years. This can include photos, film, interviews, letters, animations, voice notes and so on. The aim is to populate the archive with a diverse range of materials to mirror that of the vast scope of experiences.

This collaborative archive aims to re-posit the voice with the people of Brixton and provide an intergenerational lens to the legacy of the Uprisings. Along with those who lived through the Uprisings, it also hopes to document how those who have come to live in Brixton since experience its legacy today.

Contributions can be made via email or through social media posts. The story behind each contribution is equally as important to the collection, so include a brief explanation along with a name if you would like to be credited. If contributing via social media, use the hashtag #BrixtonPeoplesCollection or alternatively email contributions to lizzie@brixtonblog.com.

81 Acts of Exuberant Defiance is a community-led commemorative programme that marks the 40th anniversary of the 1981 Brixton Uprisings that sparked widespread resistance against police racism, racial oppression and injustice around England.

It is made up of a collective of Brixton and Lambeth-based organisations, residents, artists, businesses and community members who hold a shared ambition to honour the uprisings of 1981, and are collaborating to create a programme of activity in 2021.