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Over 100,000 people turned out at to protest Donald Trump's inauguration as US President at the Women's March on London on January 21. As it turns out, we're a pretty hilarious bunch, with the many witty placards used during the protest stealing the show. And now the Bishopsgate Institute is seeking to archive the brilliant posters and signs that were made for the march.
Special collections and archives manager at the Bishopsgate Institute Stefan Dickers said: 'Bishopsgate Institute has a long tradition of collecting materials from London protests and campaigns (including the records of the two largest demonstrations in British history – the National Reform League Demonstration 1866, and the Stop the War demonstration 2003), so the decision to collect material from the Women’s March on London was an easy one for us.'
'Aside from the huge turnout, what was particularly inspiring about this march was that it was grassroots-led and people took to the streets to highlight the particular issues they were passionate about. Although the inauguration of Donald Trump was a focal point for some, others chose to make their voice heard regarding women’s rights, health care, racial equality, LGBTQ equality and climate change.'
'In years to come, the placards and messages from this March will be essential in understanding the concerns of large sections of the UK population at the beginning of 2017,' added Dickers.
The Institute is not alone: the New-York Historical Society and the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History are asking demonstrators to preserve placards from marches in New York and Washington.
If you've got a placard, you can donate to the Institute Monday–Friday 10am–5.30pm, or until 8pm on Wednesday. Any digital images can be submitted to library@bishopsgate.org.uk.
Take a look at our pick of the best placards on show at the London march here.
Photo: Jon Spence/Flickr