Remembering
E ast
L ondon
B lack
W omens'
O rganisation
est. 1979
About
The East London Black Women's Organisation (ELBWO) was founded in 1979. It was based in Newham and combined political activism with practical support for Black women and their families. ELBWO operated a multi-purpose resource centre that provided a drop-in service, advice and counselling, workshops, a supplementary school, a crèche, and a library. It also organised film screenings, conferences, seminars, fundraising initiatives, and social and cultural events. ELBWO is still active in east London.
Origins of
ELBWO
In March 1979, the first ever National Black Women's Conference to be held in Britain took place at the Abeng Centre in Brixton. Organised by OWAAD (Organisation of Women of African and Asian Descent), the event brought together a radical coalition of hundreds of women to discuss the socio-economic and political issues facing their communities. Inspired by this, the East London Black Women's Organisation (ELBWO) was founded months later.
The ELBWO Centre
In 1988, ELBWO opened a community centre in Forest Gate, designed by architect Elsie Owusu OBE. The centre provided numerous community services. However, by 2001, the building had fallen into a state of disrepair. Patrick Lynch RIBA MRIA, of Lynch Architects was commissioned to renovate it, adding a new community hall and social spaces. The refurbishment was completed in 2004, enabling ELBWO to resume its activities from a purpose-built centre. Tragically, in October of the same year, a fire destroyed the premises. Although ELBWO continued its programmes from temporary locations, it did not have an official community centre again until 2024.
