On Sunday, 18 February 2024, in the presence of former staff and supporters, London’s newest Rainbow Plaque honouring The Black Lesbian & Gay Centre in Peckham was unveiled.
Rainbow Plaques is a national scheme organised by the London LGBT+ Forums Network and Studio Voltaire that identifies hidden and lost LGBTQIA+ heritage, whilst highlighting the importance of queer visibility in our streets and public spaces. The new Rainbow Plaque in Peckham is the third of five to be installed across the capital in celebration of significant people, places and moments in LGBTQIA+ history.
Established in Haringey in 1985, the Black Lesbian and Gay Centre (BLGC) was set up by a group of activists with the aim of providing vital support for Black Queer communities. The BLGC’s original definition of Black was inclusive and included those descended through one or both parents from Africa, Asia, the Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the original inhabitants of Australasia, North America and the islands of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Against the backdrop of 1980s politics, the rise of Thatcherism and HIV and AIDS, the centre played a groundbreaking role in the struggle for LGBTQIA+ equality. The centre raised awareness and challenged homophobia and racism in wider society by providing advice, counselling, a helpline, a library, newsletters, social and cultural events, and community resources, and though based in London, the project reached people nationwide.
After many years of fundraising, the project found a permanent home in a converted railway arch in Peckham in 1992, where the Rainbow Plaque is now installed. Before the Peckham centre closed in 1995, the BLGC supported groundbreaking events and activities. They supported the ‘Fifth International Lesbian and Gay People of Colour Conference’ and partnered with Brent HIV Centre to deliver HIV/AIDS outreach work to Asian women in the borough. The BLGC produced ‘Black by popular demand’ as part of the annual Lesbian Strength and Gay Pride festivities and assisted with Haringey Black Action and Positive Images’ ‘Smash the Backlash’ march and protest against Section 28.
The first of its kind in Europe, The Black Lesbian and Gay Centre continues to serve as an essential inspiration for queer communities today.
This plaque is supported by Untold Stories, part of the Mayor of London’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm, with additional support from Wandsworth Oasis, and kind assistance from Peckhamplex and Network Rail.
Visiting Information
Bridge Underpass, next to 83 Bellenden Road, Peckham, SE15 4QJ.
The closest station is Peckham Rye (4 minutes).
Access Information
The artwork can be viewed at street level from the pavement.
