The rukus! Black LGBT Archive Project

Mission

The rukus! Black LGBT Archive Project was launched in June 2005 by rukus! Federation Ltd.

The mission of the rukus! Black LGBT Archive Project is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and otherwise make available to the public historical, cultural, and artistic materials related to the black lesbian, gay bisexual, Trans communities in the United Kingdom.

Our goal is to create Europe’s first dedicated living archive devoted to the black Lesbian Gay, Bisexual and Trans experience, history and culture.

Him Magazine, Circa 1976

The first stage of the Project entitled The Queens Jewels is a fascinating insight into what has helped to define Black LGBT culture in the UK. For the first time assembling and displaying printed materials, magazines, pamphlets, flyers, posters, and klub memorabilia.

The materials have been colleted from Individuals, activists, Djs, klub promoters, writers, artists, and magazine publishers from within and outside our communities.

The main objectives of the project are: (1) To establish a living BlackLGBT history archive in its own premises (2); to produce exhibitions, publications, talks and workshops, educational resource material to increase awareness of our lives and visibility of our history and (3) create oral history interviews to preserve a record of our lives and testimonies.

“There is not one definitive history or decisive moment which can be used to install articulate the complexity and fluidity of the UK black queer experience. Indeed, many of our stories will never be told, heard, collected or stored for posterity”.— Ajamu

“In the early days the black press and the gay press ignored the black LGBT presence and still see it as a minority interest. The struggle for visibility continues and the Queens Jewels is part of that struggle as it celebrates and testifies to the experiences of the BLGBT community putting us where we belong: in the centre of the Frame.” - Topher Campbell

 

Gay Times, Circa 1991	Sin Dykes, Circa 1997	Boyz Magazine, Circa 1994

 

 We are looking for spare copies of the following materials:

HOW YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE

Individuals, organizations, businesses can support and participate in rukus! programs and projects.

Please click on this link for Application Form - Microsoft Word doc.