Event overview
Celebrating, honouring, reflecting on 25 years of the UK's first black female MP, Diane Abbott
To celebrate Diane's achievements, Dr Deirdre Osborne from Goldsmiths' Department of Theatre and Performance has organised a series of discussions, readings, live performance and panel debates to examine how positively modern Britain’s migratory heritage has transformed the nation, covering journalism, education, politics and the arts.
This day long event will be a jubilee of a different kind!
In 1987, Diane Abbott made history by becoming the first black woman ever elected to the British Parliament. She has since built a distinguished career as a parliamentarian, broadcaster and commentator.
A number of influential public figures will take part in the day, including journalists Moira Stuart and Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Herman Lord Ouseley and Ken Livingstone, Patricia Janet, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, author Malorie Blackman and film director John Akomfrah.
Programme of events:
VENUE 1: New Academic Building (NAB), LG02
Dedication SuAndi OBE
10.10-10.25 Keynote address from Herman, Lord Ouseley.
10.25-11.25 Panel one: Journalism
Chair: Professor James Curran
Panelists: Professor Yasmin Alibhai-Brown MBE, Hannah Pool, Hugh Muir
11.45-12.45 Panel two: Education - 'From London School and the Black Child to Black Professors in British Universities'
Dedication: Angie LeMar (writer, performer)
Panelists: Professor Heidi Safia Mirza, Professor Kevin Hylton, Dr. Keith Davidson
2.00-3.00 Panel three: Politics - 'Democracy, in Catastrophic Terminal Decline?'
Diane Abbott's Maiden Speech read by Yvonne Brewster OBE
Chair: Simon Woolley
Panelists: Ken Livingstone, Darcus Howe, Reni Eddo-Lodge, Simon Hughes MP
3.00-4.00 Panel four: Young People
CEN 8 performance
AMOS Bursary Students: mentoring and internships
Chair: David Wood
Panelists: Malorie Blackman OBE, S.I. Martin, Lewisham Young Mayor
4.15-5.15 Panel five: The Arts
Aminatta Forna - reading from The Memory of Love
Jo Melville - monologue
Chair: Moira Stuart OBE
Panelists: Patricia Cumper, Margaret Busby OBE, John Akomfrah OBE
VENUE 2: Department of Theatre and Performance, Richard Hoggart Building.
5.30-5.55 Oberon Books Drinks reception: Studio 1 Dept, of Theatre and Performance (RHB)
5.30 Book launch: Hidden Gems Vol. II (Oberon) Yvonne Brewster OBE
5.45 'Toast to Diane Abbott MP' Shami Chakrabarty CBE
6.00 - 7.00pm GEORGE WOOD THEATRE: Poetry and Live Music
• Linton Kwesi Johnson
• Kadija George
• Lizzy Dijeh
• Malika Booker
• Dorothea Smartt,
• SuAndi
• Zena Edwards
Tunday Akintan solo performance
Felicity Buckland, 'And I Set Sail' Mary Seacole by Richard Chew, libretto by SuAndi
Christopher Taylor, piano, 'Reflections in the Water' by Claude Debussy
For more information follow the event on Twitter @DianeAbbott25 or see the blog http://www.JubileeOfADifferentKind.WordPress.com
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Oct 2012 | 10:00am - 7:00pm |
Accessibility
If you are attending an event and need the College to help with any mobility requirements you may have, please contact the event organiser in advance to ensure we can accommodate your needs.
