Activists Who Changed the East End
This course will take place online.
There were many visionary individuals who were at the heart of progressive initiatives and campaigns to change one of the most impoverished parts of London, and fight for better lives for the people who lived there. Who were they? What was their vision? What did they learn from each other? What did they achieve and how? This course will explore the lives of more than 20 people who struggled for change in this period.
Who is this course for?
This course is for anyone interested in London’s social history and keen to learn with others.
Will I need any equipment or materials?
Pen and paper to take notes
Practical information
This course will be taught through a combination of tutor presentations and group discussions.
Joining via Zoom
This course or event will be held via Zoom. You need a computer/laptop or mobile phone to access the Zoom website, and a reliable internet connection. For further information on how to join a Zoom meeting, you can watch the joining video here.
You will need a computer or other device to connect with Zoom and a notebook/paper and pen/pencil, or digital equivalent.
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Need to Know
You will learn
- To identify the significant changes brought about in the East End from 1880-1930
- To explore the lives of activists who played a crucial part in the struggles across this period
- To investigate the specific campaigns individuals were involved in
- To learn where and how you can find out more about the key people involved.
Meet the Tutor
David Rosenberg
David Rosenberg is an educator, writer, and tour guide of London’s radical history who has taught at Bishopsgate Institute and other adult education institutions for several years. He is a grandchild of Yiddish-speaking Jewish immigrants from Poland and Ukraine who settled in the East End of London. In the 1980s he worked for projects and organisations concerned with race equality, including the Runnymede Trust.
David Rosenberg is the author of Battle for the East End (2011) and Rebel Footprints (2nd edition 2019), and has written articles on London’s social history and current affairs for various print and online publications, including the Guardian, New Statesman, Time Out, Jewish Quarterly, and Channel 4’s History website.
Step by Step
Week 1
Introduction and Annie, Ben, Eleanor and Will – agitating for workers’ rights
Week 2
Benjamin, Lewis, Milly and Rudolf – fighting for better lives for immigrants in the ghetto
Week 3
Samuel, Henrietta, Morris and Morris – founders of lasting institutions that served the people
Week 4
Nellie, Zelie, Sylvia and Melvina – champions of equality for women
Week 5
George, John, Julia and Minnie – law breakers and lawmakers
Week 6
Father John, Phil, Max and Bertha – uniting people on the streets and housing estates
Week 7
Concluding session - Drawing together the threads, evaluating the impact of our activists
Dates and Times
Activists Who Changed the East End
– , 4:47 - 6:47
