History
Historic photographs from the heyday of the Black press
Black Photojournalism — A new book immortalises the work of 57 Black photographers reporting in the mid-20th century for Black newspapers and magazines. Covering the Civil Rights Movement, Jesse Jackson and more, the pictures are part history, part art.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Glaswegian life, captured over 80 years of redevelopment and flux
Still Glasgow — An expansive new GoMA exhibition, curated by Katie Bruce, explores culture and people in the Scottish city, from its post-war tenement communities to its busking musicians.
Written by: Zoe Whitfield
In photos: The colourful, foreboding techno-optimism of the ’90s
A Visual History — Henry Carroll’s new book traces the roots of unfettered, present-day neoliberalism through images from the 20th century’s final decade, raising questions about how we arrived at where we are today.
Written by: Miss Rosen
25 years ago, Reflections in Black changed photography
A History of Black Photographers — Deborah Willis’s photobook anthologised pictures made by James Van Der Zee, Anthony Barboza and other groundbreaking Black photographers from when the medium was invented. A new edition updates it with 21st century contributions.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Sombre, tender photos of final goodbyes during the Harlem Renaissance
Harlem Book of The Dead — As one of the very few Black photographers operating in the 20th century, James Van Der Zee’s sepia-tinged archive remains a crucial documentation of New York’s African American history. Now, one of his classic books, capturing funeral culture, is back in print.
Written by: Miss Rosen
A visual trip through 100 years of New York’s LGBTQ+ spaces
Queer Happened Here — A new book from historian and writer Marc Zinaman maps scores of Manhattan’s queer venues and informal meeting places, documenting the city’s long LGBTQ+ history in the process.
Written by: Isaac Muk
New documentary revisits the radical history of UK free rave culture
Free Party: A Folk History — Directed by Aaron Trinder, it features first-hand stories from key crews including DiY, Spiral Tribe, Bedlam and Circus Warp, with public streaming available from May 30.
Written by: Isaac Muk
The weird, wild and forgotten history of Leicester Pride
From Michael Jackson superfans to far-right organising, the overlooked story of Leicester’s inaugural Pride march is a reminder of the power of collective resistance in the face of bigotry.
Written by: Liz Yeates
A brief history of the Molotov cocktail
Underdog's grenade — Unlike armed insurgency, a Molotov – also known as a petrol bomb – is more likely to damage property than it is to kill people. Writer James Stout considers its legacy of anti-fascist action and its unique place in protest movements.
Written by: James Stout
Intimate shots of life in ’80s Massachusetts
A family affair — Photographer Judith Black spent years capturing her experience as a single parent, celebrating everyday moments that otherwise go unnoticed.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Remembering the anti-fascist Jewish radicals of the ’40s
Lessons from The 43 Group — Writer Flora Hastings uncovers her grandfather’s revolutionary past as co-founder of The 43 Group.
Written by: Flora Hastings
A history of she-punks, from Poly Styrene to Pussy Riot
Revenge stories — Music journalist Vivien Goldman celebrates the women of the punk movement in a new book: ‘I wanted to bust open that projection that it only happened in a few blocks in the Lower East Side and West London.’
Written by: Miss Rosen
