2025LONDON, March 31, 2015 -- /EPR NETWORK/ -- WORLDwrite, the Hackney based youth education charity is launching a new knowledge portal on the life and works of Trinidadian born writer C.L.R. James. The launch will feature an extraordinary alternative lecture on C.L.R. James and other writers’ opposition to WWII with James Heartfield, lecturer, journalist and author of Unpatriotic History of the Second World War.
Following the recent book launch ‘Celebrating C.L.R. James in Hackney’ at the Dalston C.L.R. James Library, the charity are producing a series of alternative lectures on CLR James and a fully-fledged feature length documentary, exploring the unique perspectives of the great Trinidadian writer and revolutionary.
In a 1940 pamphlet entitled My Friends: A Fireside Chat on the War, C.L.R. James rejected entry into the Second World War and parodied Franklin Roosevelt's fireside chats: "My friends, why does the President want us to fight?.....Tell me, Mr. President, what democracy do I defend by going to fight Hitler? Hitler is a vile criminal and should be driven off the face of the earth. But I have no democracy and the democracy I haven't got Hitler didn't take from me. I know all those who have been taking away democracy from me and my people ........all of them aided by you, President Roosevelt......"
To discuss this rare and principled opposition by C.L.R. James and other writers, the education charity WORLDwrite and its Citizen TV station WORLDbytes are delighted to be hosting this public lecture on Wednesday 8th April at 7.00pm at the exciting new venue HATCH, Homerton, a 1 minute walk from Homerton station. The lecture forms part of the charity’s multi-media project on C.L.R. James entitled, ‘Every Cook Can Govern: Documenting the life, impact & works of C.L.R. James’ which will culminate in a feature length documentary towards the end of this year.
This event is open to the public, with early bird drinks and complimentary snacks. Entry to the event is by ticket only. Ticket costs £7/£4(conc.), which will pay a small contribution towards venue costs, are available at clr-lecture.eventbrite.com
Contact-Details: For more information and interviews contact:
Ceri Dingle or Marisa Pereira at world.write@btconnect.com; Tel: +44 (0)20 8985 5435;
