Keskidee Center – Honour for black arts centre where Bob Marley filmed

We want to create spaces like this here..their motto is powerful, “a community discovering itself, will create its own future”

BRITAIN’S FIRST black arts centre where Bob Marley and a young Naomi Campbell were filmed dancing together for a hit video is to be honoured.

The former Keskidee Centre, which takes its name from the Caribbean songbird, was set up by the late Guyanese-Born architect and cultural activist Oscar Abrams, in 1971 to inspire the creativity of a generation of black teenagers…

The centre, off Caledonian Road, whose motto was “a community discovering itself, will create its own future”, will be awarded a green plaque by Islington Council in recognition of its cultural contribution.

Marley is said to have handpicked the Keskidee Centre which for many years was the only venue in London to experience black theatre, home to political rallies on topics including Grenada and Rhodesia/Zimbabwe.

~ Elizabeth Pears (Voice Online UK)