Holocaust Memorial Day, October Books, and the Parkes Institute
January 27th marked both Holocaust Memorial Day, and the anniversary of the liberation of Auscwitz. In the 76 years since, the testimonies of the survivors, and the legacy of those who did not survive, have become an integral part of how we construct our history, as well as our present moment. So much, and so little has changed. In The Drowned and the Saved, Primo Levi asks, ‘what can each of us do, so that in this world pregnant with threats, at least this threat will be nullified?’
We were incredibly proud to take part in the Parkes Institute for Jewish and Non-Jewish Relations commemoration, which took place last week on the 26th. After an incredible lecture on the still unacknowledged Armenian genocide, perpetrated during WWI by Professor Donald Bloxham, we were treated to a performance of the recently re-discovered play No Baggage, No Returns, performed by students from Solent University. We were also introduced to some of the other incredible organisations around the city who are working hard every day to fight injustice and hatred. Stand Up to Racism, the Southampton and Winchester Visitor’s Centre, CLEAR, and the Star Conversation Club are just some of the charities and organizations who are providing education, support, and safe spaces to refugees throughout the city.
October Books has a long standing history of fighting injustice, preserving the memories of those who have been affected by hatred and oppression, and giving voices to those who have otherwise been silenced. We do this primarily through the sales of books, which are selected with these socially conscious motives in mind. Our aim is to put the stories of the unheard in a position to make a difference, to stand as a voice of opposition to injustice and oppression, to provide a space where not only can oppressed people feel safe, but can see themselves and their stories represented.
As the country slips back into political binarism and populism, the importance of telling these stories remains of the utmost importance. Through window displays which respond to current political issues, such as our welcoming of Afghan refugees in September last year, or our visual opposition to the Policing bill which seeks to remove our right to protest, blog posts which highlight contemporary problems as well as historical, through our events which seek to educate and inspire, to bring people together in celebration of other cultures, we hope to have nullified, even if only in some small way, the looming threats which Levi describes.
Much of the awareness we’ve been raising over the last number of years is related to refugees. We have always sought to highlight Southampton’s status as a hugely multicultural city, and books such as Tony Kushner’s Southampton’s Migrant Past and Present, Don John’s A Black History of Southampton, as well as a series of books titled Refugee Tales have been some of the titles we’ve highlighted and championed. We also collect food for the foodbank, and are a dropoff point for Homeless Period, both of which are often used by recently arrived refugees. We also have begun a relationship with ReadEasy, a charity which helps adults with literacy, meaning that our offerings are all the more accessible.
