Two Brums are Better than One!

A talk and exhibition about the collaboration and shared histories between Birmingham UK and Birmingham Alabama.
About this Event

Visitors to this event, organised by Birmingham People’s History Archive (BPHA), will be able to view an exhibition, take part in short, small group archive tours, and attend a talk about the ‘Two Brums’ – in the West Midlands and Alabama. A 25-minute documentary film, The Rise of the Mixy will be shown after the talk.

When the industrial city of Birmingham, Alabama was named after Birmingham, UK back in the 1870s, who’d have anticipated the strong collaboration between our cities and archives, 150 years later? The talk on Tuesday 15 September will be presented by archivists and colleagues from Birmingham People’s History Archive (BPHA) and, using technology, Vulcan Park & Museum: Birmingham, AL You’ll hear about our cities’ shared histories, including photographs and other materials. We’ll explore common themes such as industrialisation, migration, inequality, resistance, education and culture. There’ll be an opportunity to ask questions of colleagues from both sides of the Atlantic.

Before and after the talk, visitors can view an exhibition which compares aspects of Birmingham UK with Birmingham Alabama and join small group tours of Birmingham People’s History Archive. The film, to be shown at 7 pm, was made by OX-BOY, an independent, local film-making company. It’s called The Rise of the Mixy and is about West Midlands ‘desi-pubs’ – traditional British public houses run and revitalised by South Asian landlords. The filmmakers used a range of resources including from BPHA and first-hand commentaries, to depict these pubs’ wider historical role as centres of diversity and resistance of racism and segregation.

Join us to celebrate our shared heritage! Drinking water will be available but it’s unlikely that BMI’s café will open into the evening.

Programme
4pm-5.30pm – Viewing of exhibition and archive tours
5.30-6.30 pm – Talk
6.30pm-7pm -Viewing of exhibition and archive tours
7pm-7.30pm – documentary film, The Rise of Mixy

Birmingham People’s History Archive, 2nd floor, Birmingham & Midland Institute (BMI). Exhibition and talk in next-door room. Please sign in at BMI reception, where BPHA volunteers will meet and direct visitors to the event rooms.