East End Encounters with Racism and Fascism in the 20th century

The East End of London is one of the most vibrant areas of our multicultural capital city. It has been a magnet for immigrants seeking freedom, sanctuary and economic opportunities over several hundreds of years. That has included significant Jewish migrations, the largest one being that of East European Jews between the 1880s and the First World War. But the East End is also a site where extreme poverty and wealth have rubbed up against each other very uneasily. And it has been a focal point for anti-immigrant movements that have resented what they regard as “their” territory being “encroached upon” and “transformed”. At key moments during the 20th century, the East End has been a venue for dramatic clashes of ideologies, provocative marches and rallies, and tension on the streets, especially in the 1900s, 1930s and in the 1970s. In this illustrated talk, David Rosenberg will explore these episodes, and identify patterns, similarities and differences.

David Rosenberg is an educator, writer and tour guide. He teaches courses at the City Literary Institute and the Bishopsgate Institute and is the author of Battle for the East End (2011), and Rebel Footprints: a guide to uncovering London’s radical history (2nd edition, 2019)

This event will take place in person and online. The zoom details will be sent with your ticket.