Papers of the Bradford and Sheffield Asian Youth Movements
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COLLECTION LEVEL Ref no GB3228.6 Name of collection Tandana Archive: papers of the Bradford and Sheffield Asian Youth Movements Date of donation 2014 Donor name Anandi Ramamurthy Box number/s Box 1-10 Type of collection Donated collection (fonds) Dates of creation 1977-1990 Extent 10 boxes Name of creator Asian Youth Movements, Bradford and Sheffield Archival history The archive consists of papers collected by Anandi Ramamurthy as a part of a project to document the development of the Asian Youth Movements in Britain. The majority of the material was collected from individual members of the Asian Youth Movements and the papers in this collection relate to the Bradford and Sheffield groups. The archive was transferred to the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre in 2014. Administrative history The archive contains papers created and collected by the Asian Youth Movements established in Bradford and Sheffield in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Asian Youth Movement in Bradford continued the activities of the Indian Progressive Youth Association which had been formed in the city in 1977. It was decided that 'Asian Youth Movement' (AYM) was a more inclusive name and the group became known as this in 1978. The aims and objectives outlined in the Constitution of the AYM included promoting "the interests of young people from (or originating from) the Indian sub-continent, i.e. Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in the areas of political, cultural, social and sports activities". Further objectives within the constitution included opposing all forms of discrimination, supporting national liberation movements in other countries and keeping members informed of developments taking place in the Indian sub-continent. AYM (Bradford) instigated and supported campaigns both locally and nationally relating to deportation cases, racist attacks, police harassment, workers' rights, racism in schools and defence campaigns for groups such as the Bradford 12 and Newham 7. They also demonstrated solidarity for national liberation movements in countries such as Ireland, Palestine and South Africa, supporting, for example, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the Bradford Anti-Apartheid Group. AYM (Bradford) became established within the Bradford community and acquired their own premises, the Saathi Centre. They ran successfully as an organisation until 1986-87. The group were influential on the formation of other Asian Youth Movements across the country and were instrumental in efforts to establish a National Asian Youth Movement. AYM (Sheffield) was formed in 1982 following the success of the Sheffield Bradford 12 support group. They supported local and national campaigns focussing on racist attacks and police harassment. For example they campaigned against violence towards taxi drivers in Sheffield and supported local families experiencing racial violence and intimidation. AYM (Sheffield) also supported national defence campaigns, for example, organising groups in Sheffield to campaign for the Newham 8 and Newham 7. Like AYM (Bradford) the Sheffield group were involved in anti-deportation cases and support for international and local workers' rights campaigns including the miners' strikes and trade union activities. The Sheffield Defence Campaign was later formed and consisted of individuals and anti-racist Scope and content This collection consists of archive material relating to the organisation and activities of Asian Youth Movements in Bradford and Sheffield. The archive documents the establishment and development of the Asian Youth Movements including details of their Constitution, minutes of meetings, correspondence, procedures for new members, newsletters and press releases. A substantial amount of material relates to campaigns supported by the Bradford and Sheffield groups. These relate to local and national anti-deportation and defence campaigns including the Bradford 12, Newham 8 and Newham 7. Further material relates to campaigns against racism, racist attacks, police harassment, workers' rights and solidarity campaigns. The archive contains papers relating to immigration, police monitoring, racism in schools and ethnic minority organisations. There is also information concerning employment and training, community support, cultural events, and related newspaper cuttings and publications. System of arrangement The archive is divided into two sub-fonds and arranged into the following series: Asian Youth Movement (Bradford): 1. Administrative papers 2. Papers of Bradford Anti-Fascist Defence Committee 3. Papers of Dewsbury Defence Committee 4. Papers relating to racism and schools 5. Papers relating to Ray Honeyford and Drummond Middle School 6. Papers relating to National Asian Youth Movement and other regional groups 7. Papers relating to deportation cases and defence campaigns 8. Papers relating to campaigning organisations 9. Newspaper cuttings and publications 10. Additional material Asian Youth Movement (Sheffield) 1. Administrative papers 2. Papers relating to anti-deportation campaigns 3. Papers relating to defence campaigns 4. Papers relating to immigration 5. Papers relating to education 6. Papers relating to campaigning organisations 7. Newspaper cuttings, cultural events and Sheffield organisations 8. Newsletters and publications 9. Additional material Related material Available in Manchester Central Library: Ramamurthy, Anandi, Kala Tara: a history of The Asian Youth Movements in Britain in the 1970s and 1980s, extracts from interviews conducted for the Second Generation Asians Resisting Racism Project (Preston: University of Central Lancashire, 2007) Ramamurthy, Anandi, Black Star: Britain's Asian Youth Movements (London: Pluto Press, 2013) Conditions of use and access Access conditions apply to a number of records in this collection. Language/s English. Collection also includes a small number of documents in Arabic, Bengali and Urdu. SUB-FONDS LEVEL Ref no Name of sub-fond Dates of creation Extent Name of creator Background toScope the series and Content Detail ofRelated content material Conditions of use and access Language/s GB3228.6/1 Asian Youth Movement 1977-1990 5 boxes n/a n/a Papers relating to Asian Youth Movement n/a n/a Access restrictions apply to English (Bradford) (Bradford). some material. GB3228.6/2 Asian Youth Movement 1982-1990 5 boxes n/a n/a Papers relating to Asian Youth Movement n/a n/a Access restrictions apply to English (Sheffield) (Sheffield). some material. SERIES LEVEL: BRADFORD AND SHEFFIELD Ref no Name of series Dates of creation Extent Name of creator Background toScope the series and Content Detail ofRelated content material Conditions of use and access Language/s GB3228.6/1/1 Administrative papers 1977-c1988 16 folders, 4 items n/a n/a Papers relating to the activities and organisation of N/A N/A Access restrictions apply to English (AYM Bradford) AYM (Bradford) including the Constitution of the Asian some material in this series. Youth Movement, correspondence, minutes, membership details and newsletters. GB3228.6/1/2 Papers of Bradford Anti-Fascist 1984-1985 10 folders, 3 items n/a n/a Correspondence, minutes and newsletters relating to the N/A N/A Access restrictions apply to English Defence Committee establishment and progress of Bradford Anti-Fascist Defence some material in this series. Committee. Includes details of defendants and appeal court hearing. GB3228.6/1/3 Papers of Dewsbury Defence 1983-1985 3 folders, 5 items n/a n/a Police statements, leaflet and newspaper cuttings concerning N/A N/A Access restrictions apply to English Committee racist attacks in Savile Town and letters of support to the some material in this series. Dewsbury Defence Committee. GB3228.6/1/4 Papers relating to racism and 1980-1985 5 folders, 4 items n/a n/a Correspondence, reports and newspaper cuttings concerning N/A N/A Access restrictions apply to English schools education and racism in schools. Includes statements by pupils some material in this series. and teacher. GB3228.6/1/5 Papers relating to Ray Honeyford 1983-1985 35 items n/a n/a Papers relating to Ray Honeyford, Headmaster of Drummond N/A N/A Access restrictions apply to English and Drummond Middle School Middle School, including articles and correspondence, and some material in this series. details of protests including photographs. GB3228.6/1/6 Papers relating to National Asian 1980-c.1985 2 folders, 5 items n/a n/a Newsletters, minutes and details of campaigns relating to the N/A N/A Open English Youth Movement and other National Asian Youth Movement and regional youth regional groups movements in Manchester, Burnley and Pendle and Birmingham. GB3228.6/1/7 Papers relating to deportation c.1981-1990 8 folders, 32 items n/a n/a Material relating to anti-deportation and defence campaigns N/A N/A Access restrictions apply to English cases and defence campaigns including correspondence, leaflets, minutes, petitions and some material in this series. newsletters with details of campaigns, public meetings and demonstrations. GB3228.6/1/8 Papers relating to campaigning 1980s 7 folders, 17 items n/a n/a Papers relating to anti-racist and anti-fascist campaign groups, N/A N/A Access restrictions apply to English organisations racist attacks, police harassment, solidarity campaigns, anti- some material in this series. apartheid movement and workers' rights. GB3228.6/1/9 Newspaper cuttings and 1981-1987 1 folder, 9 items n/a n/a Newspaper cuttings regarding subjects such as racist attacks N/A N/A Open English publications and