The History Hotline

“Try to pigeon hole Benjamin Zephaniah at your peril. Poet, writer, lyricist, musician, actor, republican, activist, campaigner, freedom fighter. It’s impossible. His achievements are too plentiful to mention.” – Opening for an interview with Shelley Carter for Birmingham Living magazine.

Benjamin Zephaniah was born on 15th April 1958 in Handsworth, Birmingham. This episode looks at his life, his activism and all he stood for. It explores his refusal to accept an MBE and the implications that had.

Clips taken from: ITN Archives

Articles featured: Tribune Article "Us An Dem: The Radical Benjamin Zephaniah"

'Me? I thought, OBE me? Up yours, I thought'

Updates on the MRes legal challenge

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The Race Relations Act was passed in 1965. It set about to formerly criminalise racial discrimination but only certain kinds. This episode we'll be thinking about how successful this was in improving the situation for Black people in Britain, or was it performative and largely unhelpful?

For more information on my PhD study email me at: [email protected] or message me on social media.

Keep up to date with us.

The second part of our episodes with Dr Michelle Yaa Asantewa and Craig Riley where we continue to discuss the life and legacy of Michael Abbensetts and Empire Road.

Why does Venezuela claim Essquibo and what will this mean for Guyana?

Currently a referendum is on to Venezuelans to claim part of Guyana which is oil rich, which could mean the annexation of the territory from Guyana. Tune in more to find out about what is happening in the region and how this links to other global conflicts in Palestine and Congo as the powers that be exploit for their own gain.

Articles consulted: The Financial Times and Al Jazeera.

I also speak about my call for participants for my PhD research on the migration of Caribbean children to Britain. Please email me on: [email protected] for more information. Our socials!

Join us this week as I chat with Dr Michelle Yaa Asentewa and Craig Riley to talk about Michael Abbensetts and Empire Road. Empire Road is a British television series that was aired by the BBC from 1978 to 1979. It was produced by Peter Ansorge and written by Michael Abbensetts. It was the first British TV series to be written, directed and acted by predominantly Black artists and creatives.

Born in Guyana, Michael Abbensetts was the first Black British playwright to be commissioned to write a television drama series. Michael settled in Britain in the 1960s and gave a voice to people from a Caribbean heritage, through his writing for the theatre and television. He worked on several Pebble Mill dramas in the 1970s and early ’80s, often with producer Peter Ansorge. His first Pebble Mill production was Black Christmas, in 1977; followed by Empire Road (series 1 and 2), the first black British soap opera, 1988-9; and Easy Money, part of Playhouse, 1982. He also wrote an episode of Doctors in 2001, which was his last television script. Michael Abbensetts, sadly died on 24th November 2016. This episode honours his life and commitment to writing the experiences of Black people for TV in post-war Britain.

This week we're joined by Ama Badu (English Literature BA, QMUL 2018). Ama is an assistant editor at Faber and Faber. We talk about all things literature, history, publishing and the current state of British society. Connect with us here

Follow Ama here

Books mentioned: Clean by Juno Dawson, The Women in Me by Britney Spears, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson, All About Love by bell hooks, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, Black Skin White Masks by Frantz Fanon, Slavery and Capitalism by Eric Williams.

In August 1970, the MV Christena, a government owned and operated ferry boat crashed in between the islands of St Kitts and Nevis. This week's episode explores what happened that day and the legacy of such a tragedy for one of Britain's colonies. Follow us on social media here.

This week's episode is all about the Black Parents Movement (BPM) and intergenerational activism featuring Hannah Francis. We discuss her chapter in Many Struggles: New Histories of African and Caribbean People In Britain edited by Professor Hakim Adi (https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745347653/many-struggles/) the campaign to save the MRes at Chichester (https://www.historymatters.online/save-mres-campaign) the Young Historians Project (https://www.younghistoriansproject.org/) and The History Matters Journal (https://www.historymatters.online/journal)

TW: Conversations about suicide.

Our socials: https://linktr.ee/thehistoryhotline Hannah's socials: https://www.instagram.com/silly_ebadu/

The arrival of the Windrush ship to Britain in 1948, is the symbolic mark of post-war migration from the Caribbean. It is often credited with being the first (even though it wasn’t) ship to bring people from the Caribbean to Britain and 'Windrush Generation' is now the term given to that generation that arrived between 1948 and the early 1970s.This episode is part two of episodes on the Windrush Scandal which saw the threat of and in some cases the actual deportation of members of the 'generation' due to a variety of Home Office failings that deliberately targeted Black people.

Windrush Lessons Learnt Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/874022/6.5577_HO_Windrush_Lessons_Learned_Review_WEB_v2.pdf Further links: https://linktr.ee/thehistoryhotline

In the aftermath of King Charles III's coronation I share my thoughts and reflections on my time in Jamaica... considering Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness' absence at the coronation and what that may or may not mean... The question of Jamaica becoming a republic, what the people think about it and the other Caribbean islands considering making the leap to becoming republics.

Links: https://linktr.ee/thehistoryhotline

This week we are joined by special guest Professor Hakim Adi, speaking about the History Matters Journal, The Young Historians Project, his most recent publication and upcoming special collection. We discuss the lack of Black history teachers, making history more accessible, the impact of BLM on History within higher education and institutional racism in the 20th and 21st century. Read the latest issue of the History Matters Journal here: https://www.historymatters.online/journal For more updates on the History Matters Journal: https://twitter.com/MattersHistoryhttps://www.instagram.com/historymatters_journal/ Us:https://linktr.ee/thehistoryhotline Hakim Adi: https://twitter.com/hakimadi1?lang=en

On 22nd April 1993, 18 year old Stephen Lawrence was murdered by a gang of white youths in a racially motivated attack. 30 years on from the anniversary of his death, this episode details the battle fought by his family to get justice for Stephen. It explores the policy changes and legislation shifts that have followed his death from the Macpherson Report (1999) to amendments to the Race Relations Act (2000).

Sources: Doreen Lawrence, And Still I Rise: A Mother's Search for JusticeDavid Gillborn, Racism and Education: Coincidence Or Conspiracy? BBC Timeline: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26465916 Benjamin Zephaniah, What Stephen Lawrence Taught Us? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Awns1EIUweA Our socials: https://linktr.ee/thehistoryhotline

William Cuffay was a chartist leader in early Victorian Britain. His mother was English and his father was a formerly enslaved African man born in Saint Kitts. He began as an apprentice to a tailor and quickly ended up in the world of politics, fighting for working people's rights.

Socials and Links: https://linktr.ee/thehistoryhotline

Giveaway: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqDGYgJoYiz/ (closing date: 4th April 2023)

Host: Deanna Lyncook Researcher: Zakiyyah Riaz

100 EPISODES. A special episode to mark a special milestone... Reflections on the podcast so far, how I got here and why I started.

Socials and Links: https://linktr.ee/thehistoryhotline

Giveaway: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqDGYgJoYiz/ (closing date: 4th April 2023)

Host: Deanna Lyncook Researcher: Zakiyyah Riaz

On Wednesday 15th March over 400,000 workers opted to strike across multiple industries. Strikes have become commonplace within British society as of late and with them impacting so many of us in a variety of ways. I thought it would be wise to sit down with some of those taking to the pickets for better pay, working conditions, job security, pensions and to make the services better for those who use them.Thank you to those that contributed to this episode: Denis Fernando, Holly Cooper, Rachel, Zac, Sham and others.

This episode looks at Hazel Carby's 'White Women Listen!' and explores intersectionality and the representation of Black women in British history.

Engagement with Dr King often begins and ends with his “I Have A Dream Speech” and even though Britain seems to bring him out at all possible times, we actually know very little about him.

In this episode we will look at two of his visits to the UK in 1961 and 1964. His activism balanced on his firm beliefs in equality across all lines. We will discuss who he spoke to and met and the transnational nature of his activism and the wider US Civil Rights Movement.

Further Reading:

Dr Hannah Elias, John Collins, Martin Luther King, Jr, and transnational networks of protest and resistance in the Church of England during the 1960s, in “The Church of England and British Politics since 1900”.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/dec/02/martin-luther-king-in-london-1964-reflections-on-a-landmark-visit#:~:text=Five%20months%20before%20his%20assassination,UK%20university%20in%20his%20lifetime.

https://www.bloomsbury.org.uk/60-years-on-the-legacy-of-martin-luther-kings-first-london-sermon/

https://www.baptist.org.uk/Articles/619003/60_years_on.aspx

https://www.stpauls.co.uk/visit-from-martin-luther-king

In this episode I am joined by Tionne Parris, a PhD candidate specialising in African American history and member of the editorial board of the History Matters journal. We will be discussing a whole host of Radical Black Women including: Claudia Jones, Angela Davis, Eslanda Robeson, Vicky Garvin and Louise Thompson Patterson.

We discuss Black British History, Black Radicalism and Black Power in the UK and US contexts.

Read the latest issue of the History Matters Journal here: https://www.historymatters.online/journal

For more updates on the History Matters Journal: https://twitter.com/MattersHistory

https://www.instagram.com/historymatters_journal/

Tionne Parris: https://twitter.com/tionneparris?lang=en-GB

Tionne's work: https://www.listeninghousemedia.com/product-page/abolish-all-prisons-examining-the-roots

Contact Us:

https://linktr.ee/thehistoryhotline

Henry Brown was born enslaved in Richmond, Virginia in either 1815 or 1816 at the Hermitage plantation. Unlike many enslaved Africans he knew and lived with his family members on the same plantation.

However, after being split from his wife and children he decided that he could no longer be without his freedom and liberty and escaped in the way he saw best fit... in a box.

Tune in to find out more about his escape and subsequent life in Britain.

Passing as a white man and his slave, Ellen and William Craft escaped enslavement in Georgia and headed for freedom. This episode will look at their escape, their lives in Britain and their constant efforts to free others from enslavement and garner support for abolition.

"The very serious function of racism [...] is a distraction." -Toni Morrison

After a long break, the history hotline is back! This week with a round up of the many events 2023 has already graced us with, we'll be discussing:

1) The murder of Tyre Nichols

2) Racist hair policy's at a Birmingham secondary school

3) The resurgence of the Hostile Immigration policy.

4) The renaming of schools and road names.

We will be exploring this within the context of the function of racism and the wider systems of white supremacy; with theory from Toni Morrison.

Articles and videos mentioned:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jan/22/new-hostile-environment-policies-immigration-home-office

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=15MMmgwl1V4&embeds_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dtoni%2Bmorrison%2Bracist%2Bquestion%26biw%3D1640%26bih%3D888%26tbm%3Dvid%26sxsrf%3DAJOqlzU4tD8QYXQ8FpXZyCS77LwTrMW1Fw%25&feature=emb_logo

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/lessons-we-can-learn-from-toni-morrison#:~:text=Years%20earlier%2C%20in%20a%201975,for%20being%2C%E2%80%9D%20she%20said.

Contact Us:

https://linktr.ee/thehistoryhotline

Caribbean Fruit Cake, Rum Cake, Fruit Cake, Black Cake or whatever you call the rich, moist alcoholic cake that hails from the Caribbean and is devoured over Christmas time... this episode is all about the history of the cake and why it is so loved and enjoyed today!

James Drax arrived in Barbados in the early 1630s looking for an opportunity to create wealth. He was the first of a long line of plantation owners who not only held slaves but ensured the institution would remain etched into the fabric of Bajan society forever. Whilst his descendent, Richard Drax is the next to inherit the 600 acre plantation, calls for reparations are being made once again.

In this episode we will discuss the Drax family in Barbados and think about the calls for reparations considering the part this family had to play in the enslavement and exploitation of so many.

TW: graphic violence and abuse

“Nothing we can do will alter the fact that the black man has begun to think and feel himself as good as the white.” - [Secret] Colonial Office Memorandum, 1919.

The men of the British West India Regiment (BWIR) were recruited as soldiers who would fight as part of the British regiment, during WWI. However, they were not granted the same freedoms as their white counterparts or celebrated in the same way, in fact they were given arduous and laborious tasks and denied equal pay.

The 1918 mutiny epitomising their discontent, adding to anti-colonial conversation in the region and marking the BWIR out of history for a long time.

In 1802 the 8th West Indian Regiment rebelled against their commanding officers and mutinied in Prince Rupert’s, Dominica. This episode explores the reasons for the mutiny, a timeline of events and the outcomes and consequences.

The British Army was the single biggest purchaser of slaves by the end of the 18th century. The enslaved African men they bought joined the West India Regiment from 1795.

This episode explores the creation of the regiment, the pushback and opposition from Caribbean legislatures, the perception of the of the regiment and the material conditions and pay for soldiers within the regiment.

This week we're launching a series of podcast with The History Matters journal, featuring a very special guest: A. S. Francis. This episode explores the origins of The History Matters collective and the journal and the way in which it continues to contribute to the dissemination of Black British History within public narratives.

An episode thinking about the role of African people in the transatlantic slave trade, featuring:

1. The Woman King and the [in]accurate depiction of the Kingdom of Dahomey.

2. Racism and Slavery.

3. William Ansah Sessarakoo.

4. Ayuba Suleiman Diallo.

5. The artworks that depicted their lives in London.

Racism in football is often portrayed to be an unfixable issue as it is a manifestation of societal racism and arguably won’t be fixed until racism in wider society is. In this episode we will uncover not only the covert racism of fans but also the racism within the institution.

We’ll be starting with the story of 1) Jack Leslie, the inspiration for this episode and looking at 2) the history of Black men in the sport in England. We’ll then be thinking about 3) the history of Black women in English football and why there are so few? The finally we’ll be having a somewhat intersectional conversation today and looking at 4) what are the barriers to Black girls in football today? 5) And whether or not we can see racism in football changing anytime soon?

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific. But following the death of Queen Elizabeth II can the commonwealth survive? Or will member states, with complex histories of being colonised by the British Empire begin to seek a different future?

Welcome back to The History Hotline, this week's episode includes:

US Origins of the phrase and the movement.

How that developed across the last 9 years.

BLM in Britain as a movement, piggy backing the US?

What BLM is doing in the UK?

History of organisations fighting race based discrimination in the UK.

Chris Kaba and police brutality in the UK.

Fort Charles is located in the small town of Port Royal in Jamaica. Fort Charles was the first and only surviving port constructed to guard its entrance in the 17th Century. Port Royal was decimated during a terrible earthquake in 1692 and Fort Charles is the only fort to have survived, as 33 acres were submerged into the 'sunken city'.

This week we're discussing the newly erected monument at Waterloo Train Station in 'honour' of the Windrush Generation, Gus John's open letter and whether or not it's all just an empty political gesture?

Episodes will be released every Tuesday, instead of Mondays.

Wednesday 22nd June 2022 marks the 5th national celebration of Windrush Day and 74 years since the Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks in Essex and the generation of people that followed. But what are we actually celebrating, the Windrush and the legacy it leaves will be one of sacrifice and contribution but also of scandal, of pain and trauma. Is this something to celebrate or should it be a time or reckoning with this element of Britain's racist past? Or can we do both?

The ‘patty’ a baked flaky pastry filled with traditionally with well seasoned minced beef is a Jamaican staple. It can be enjoyed for breakfast or lunch or as a snack. They are known to all as a patty but this nearly changed in 1985 for a Toronto Jamaican bakery, who were threatened with a fine if they didn’t change the name of the ‘patty’ as it did not meet the food standards for a patty. Tune into this week’s episode to find out more about the patty and what happened in “patty vs patty: 1985”.

Winston Churchill, is historically ranked as one of the greatest British prime ministers and the greatest Briton to ever live. But has the British public been ignorantly avoiding the truth about one of their heroes and are concerns about his inflammatory and racist comments warranted?

Tune into this weeks episode to explore why Winston Churchill's comments are viewed as problematic at best and dangerous racist rhetoric, responsible for the loss of life.

Michael X, died on the gallows in the royal jail in May 1975, despite urgent last‐minute pleas for commutation of his sentence. The first execution on the Caribbean island of Trinidad since 1957, was not met with any public demonstrations or protests in Trinidad but marked by international support of Malik by activists in the UK and USA.

Michael was charged with the murder of 24 year old Joseph Skerritt whose body was found buried next to Gale Benson also thought to have been murdered at Michael X's commune in 1972.

To find out the chilling facts of this case and the impact it eventually had on the death penalty in the Caribbean tune in.

Michael X, who was born Michael de Freitas, was a Trinidad and Tobago born self proclaimed black nationalist, revolutionary and civil rights activist. He migrated to London in 1957 and lived a life alongside some of the seediest characters of West London. The first person prosecuted under the race relations act (1965) and a face on the desk of the Special Branch surveillance team.

David Oluwale, a Nigerian man was "hounded to his death" by police in Leeds in the 1960s. His death led to the first prosecution of British police for involvement in the death of a black person, but this was 'hollow justice' to say the least.

In April 2022, a plaque to honour him in Leeds was put up, but devastatingly it has been vandalised and stolen twice in what was less than 3 days.

Articles mentioned in the episode:

Perry Blankson: https://tribunemag.co.uk/2022/04/we-must-remember-david-oluwale

Olivia McGhie: https://www.thestateofthearts.co.uk/features/the-life-and-legacy-of-david-oluwale-why-britain-must-remember-and-commemorate-him/

Olivia Wyatt: https://www.historymatters.online/journal (to download the History Matters Journal)

In 1901 near Sycamore Terrace in York, the remains of a woman we now refer to as the ‘Ivory Bangle Lady’, dating all the way back to the second half of the 4th Century, were found.

The first written record of African people in Britain dates back to the 3rd Century AD. They came via the movement of the Roman Empire which due to its expansive span through trade, military movements, civilian migrations which were both voluntary and forced. All kinds of people travelled within the Empire, the Ivory Bangle Lady was no exception.

Tune in to find out more about her life and what the discovery of her remains, alongside archaeological advancements can tell us about a variety of histories.

Darcus Howe, a British broadcaster, writer and racial justice campaigner. He arrived in Britain as an 18 year old in 1961. He studied law but as his life panned out he became more involved with journalism, broadcasting and activism. He has been one of the most powerful voices for Black rights in Britain, always articulate and dominant, speaking with great eloquence and pride. He was a fearless campaigner, consistently fighting against injustice in Britain and overseas. This episode takes a glimpse into his life and all he achieved as well as the legacy he left.

The Black and White Minstrel Show ran for 20 years, at a time in Britain where race relations were growing ever tenser.

How did a show like this manage to run for so long?

Where did minstrelsy come from? (America if you didn't know)

How did the show eventually draw to a close?**

**hint: We can thank Diana Ross!!

President Joe Biden signed a bill into law on Tuesday 29th March that makes lynching a federal hate crime. This episode will explore the bill, the harrowing story of Emmett Till, and the consequences of an act such as this in 2022.

TW// Details of extreme violence, racism, lynching, murder

A new episode on all things Jamaican politics. Will it be the next republic, following in the footsteps of Barbados? This week we will discuss Jamaica's new pledge to become a republic, what that means and how the royal visit did more harm than good.

1. Brief history

2. The royal visit to Jamaica

3. What next?

4. Reparations?

TW// Slavery and racism

TW// racism, violence

In 2020, a 15 year old Black girl was strip-searched at school after being wrongly suspected of carrying drugs. This week the report revealing these details was released and this episode hopes to shed light on this case and the problems of racism within policing and education and the traumatic impact that has on young Black children.

This episode is about Olive Morris, the Jamaican born activist, community leader, radical feminist, Black nationalist and Marx-Leninist communist, thinking about her life and legacy.

1. Early life and education

2. The assault by the metropolitan police

3. A life of activism

4. Housing campaigns and squatting

5. Life after death

The Brixton Black Women's Group was an organisation formed by Black women in 1973 to 1985. It aimed to raise the consciousness of Black women and also organise around specific issues affecting black women in British society.

In July of 1967, Stokely Carmichael, the leader of SNCC, "Honorary Prime Minister" Black Panther Party and one of the most prominent leaders in the American Black Power Movement, arrived in London as part of an international tour.

He made a speech at the Dialects of Liberation Congress during his time in London is widely regarded as a pivotal moment in the British Black Power movement. Carmichael advocated for Black Power and a call for a new way of fighting individual and institutional racism.

Who was Kwame Ture?

Race relations in Britain prior to the Congress

The Dialectics of Liberation Congress

Impact of the Speech

Endings

Articles mentioned: https://tribunemag.co.uk/2021/10/the-british-states-secret-war-on-black-power

This episode we'll be looking at immigration from the Caribbean to the US in the latter part of the 20th century. The impact of the McCarran Walter Act (1952) on immigration to the US from around the world. The experiences of Caribbean people under segregation and jim crow laws, by looking briefly at the story of Colin Powell.

This episode can be enjoyed on its own but might be more easily digested after episode 63 and 64.

This week we will be continuing the conversation about Caribbean immigration to the US. Focusing on the early 20th Century, we'll explore how African Americans and Caribbean immigrants' understanding of race shaped their perception of one another. How that impacted the job and housing sectors in the Northern US states, regarding these two groups of people. Also, paying attention to the experience of the newly arrived Afro-Caribbean immigrants in the US.

Caribbean Immigration to the US began forcibly during the transatlantic slave trade. The pattern of immigration continued into the early 20th century, creating Caribbean-American heritage, culture and communities.

This week we'll be discussing these waves of immigration beginning in the 17th Century and finishing in the 1930s.

This week's episodes looks at the horrors of Nazi Germany, specifically on Afro-Germans. We'll be thinking about:

Where did Black people in Germany come from?

Mixed race children in the Rhineland.

The German colonies in Africa.

The Impact of the 1935 Nuremberg Laws.

Reparations or a lack of for Black victims and their families.

The stories of: Thomas Holzhauser, Hans Hauck, Hans-Jürgen Massaquoi, John William, and Theodor Michael Wonja.

TW: This episode contains conversations about genocide, violence, murder, forced sterilisation, rape and assault to adults and children.

Articles and Documentaries mentioned:

https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/features-news/2022/01/27/hitlers-forgotten-victims/

https://theconversation.com/what-happened-to-black-germans-under-the-nazis-53599

https://twitter.com/ajplus/status/1254284069040459776

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlvC4QjwNbs&t=981s

This week's episode will explore the Black sitcom: Desmond's. A 6 series comedy, set in a Guyanese barbershop in Peckham.

We'll look at:

1)Why it started?

2) How important it was in challenging negative stereotypical portrayals of Black people at the time?

3) How important is the show for viewers today?

4) Some political commentary in the show.

5) The Cast: Where are they now?

This week we'll be talking about:

1) The five bills currently being passed through the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

2)The Nationality and Borders Bill.

3) The points on asylum

4) The infamous clause 9

5) Protests and Comments on the bill.

This week we'll be exploring:

1) Who was Edward Colston?

2) How long have Bristolians wanted the statue to come down?

3) How did it come down?

4) Where is it now?

5) The Case of the Colston Four.

Documentary mentioned: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000wvzx

Britain's first Black bookshop, New Beacon Books is potentially facing closure after over 50 years as the first Black publisher, book shop and international book distributor. It was founded by John La Rose and Sarah White and has continued to be run by the family, surviving longer than any other bookshop of its kind.

To support head down to the shop in Finsbury Park or shop online at: https://www.newbeaconbooks.com/

This week we're looking at the history of another Caribbean Christmas tradition. You might know it be the name sorrel, roselle, bissap, wonjo, foléré, dabileni, zobo, sobolo, hibiscus, auga de Jamaica, red drink or something different entirely. The roselle hibiscus plant is the base of a drink that spans across many continents and due to its history became a THE Caribbean Christmas drink.

Guyanese pepperpot a dish typically enjoyed on Christmas day. Its roots start with the indigenous populations of South America and the Caribbean, transported across the transatlantic slave trade to America. Many cultures having their own version of this iconic dish. Tune in to find out what makes it so special and how it travels the world.

On the 55th anniversary of Barbadian Independence, they transitioned from a 'constitutional monarchy' to a parliamentary republic'. By removing the queen from her position, the democratic nation of 300,000 people is finally free of one of the last institutionalised vestiges of British colonialism. Barbados is officially the world’s newest republic... To find out what this means, how it will impact the Caribbean and of course a brief history of Barbados, tune in!

On 21st April 1968 Enoch Powell, addressed an invited audience of conservative supporters, to present his prophecies for the future of Britain should immigration continue. This episode will think about:

1. Who was Enoch Powell?

2. When and why did he make the speech?

3. What did the speech say and mean?

4. What was the impact of the speech, then and today?

13th August 1977, the National Front clashed with anti-fascist and anti-racist organisations in the heart of South East London. To find out about the national front in the 1970s in Britain, how this clash happened and why... tune in!

We often think about war as a time of personal sacrifice for the 'greater good' but have you ever thought about the economic costs of the world wars from the perspectives of former British colonies? This episode we will be exploring the 'men, money and materials' sent by the West Indies to Britain during WWI.

For more information on the Black Poppy Rose: https://www.blackpoppyrose.org/

This week I'm joined by a very special guest Kayleigh Oliver, who is currently developing an app called FOBBS (Figures of Black British History) in order to help educate school children on some of the key figures within Black British history.

Tune in to find out her motivation for the app and what she hopes to achieve with it.

The History Hotline is in partnership with FOBBS for the creation of this app.

The website: https://fobbs.uk/

To sign up for the app: https://fobbs.uk/#signup

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fobbsplatform/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FOBBSPlatform

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fobbs-platform/

Every October, Black History Month rolls around again, but will there be a time where we no longer need it? Here's my 10 Things I Hate About Black History Month.

Disclaimer: Please take this episode with a pinch of salt, it is meant to be somewhat lightheartedly.

This episode we're thinking about the importance of people in studying history or if this a problematic erasure of other more important factors in history. With a special focus on the life of Claudia Jones and announcements on upcoming exhibitions curated by me.

https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/news/latest-news/all-news/exhibition-at-wesleys-chapel-leadership-on-a-journey/

This episode we will be discussing these five texts:

1) Letters from London - C. L. R James

2) Small Island -Andrea Levy

3) The Lonely Londoners -Sam Selvon

4) Second Class Citizen -Buchi Emecheta

5) Things Fall Apart -Chinua Achebe

I won't be spoiling any of the books, but I hope they will give you some fiction titles that help understand Black Britain.

Buchi Emecheta interview I wanted to add but didn't want the copyright violation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJPIJ8JpOFk

Black History Month 2021 started off with news of the unveiling of a statue of Betty Campbell, Wales' first Black headteacher. We'll be exploring her life as well as the significance of statues as a way of memorialising people and understanding history.

Are they necessary? Are they for the moment they were unveiled in, or is their purpose to stand for eternity?

With Britain contemplating relaxing current immigration rules we discuss the immigration acts and laws that have shaped who and who isn't welcome in Britain. Starting in 1905 and ending in 1981... we'll be exploring several different laws and their historical context and reasons for existence. Whilst looking at how immigration policy 'othered' different migrant groups and continues to do so.

Following the recent announcement that OCR has included more texts written by Black authors on the A-level and GCSE specification we're discussing:

-Who the new authors are.

-Why curriculum change is important.

-Sam Selvon's The Lonely Londoners

-Problems with GCSE/A-level specification changes with no changes in KS3.

-The role of teachers in these changes.

Britain's first Black bus driver -Joe Clough. We'll be exploring his life and experiences in Victorian Britain, his role as a serviceman in WWI and his subsequent career as a taxi driver.

Call for information:

“We are also trying to make contact with descendants of Joe Clough,” said Louise Townsend of Townsend Theatre Productions.

“We know that one of their daughters married into the George family of Bedford, so we’d be grateful if anyone knows any of Joe’s descendants and could put us in touch.”

If you can help, please email [email protected] or phone 07949635910.

From: https://www.bedfordindependent.co.uk/thebedfordclanger/2021/debut-for-new-play-about-bedfords-joe-clough-britains-first-black-bus-driver/

When the Bristol Omnibus Company refused to hire Black or Asain bus crews, Roy Hackett, Owen Henry, Audley Evans, Prince Brown and Paul Stephenson formed an action group and decided that a boycott was the only way to force the bus company to change.

Exploring the roots of Notting Hill Carnival, back to its Trinidadian traditions through slavery, its growth in the UK from St Pancras Hall, to a mini street party to the biggest "street party" in Europe.

This weeks episode will set the context for Notting Hill carnival, we'll be thinking about:

Racial tensions in the 1950s

The Notting Hill Riots in 1958

The murder of Kelso Cochrane in 1959

On 22nd June 1948 the Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury docks bringing over 1000 passengers from the Caribbean and 73 years later, it's the 2nd ever Windrush Day!

Tune in to hear 25 facts about the ship, the passengers, its voyage and the reception it got as it touched British waters.

During the summer of 1981; major UK cities such as London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Leeds were overcome with “race riots.” After decades of police harassment, brutality and racist attacks from numerous far right and fascist groups, as well as racist individuals.

We will be exploring the reasons for the riot: the political, social and economic climate. The role of policing in the build up and during the riots and the aftermath of the uprisings across the country.

A conversational episode with special guest Montel Gordon, discussing 'protesting racism' in a modern day context and in comparison to the 1981 riots which forms part of a long history of anti-racist protests/riots/uprisings in Britain.

Montel's article: https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/george-floyd-black-lives-matter-b1853451.html

This week's episode is all about Caribbean women serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) during WWII. The spirit of resistance that lives through Caribbean women from Nanny of the Maroons to Mary Seacole and all those 20th Century Caribbean women that paved the way in migration to Britain will be explored.

An episode exploring the colonial education system in the British Caribbean and the impact that had on class hierarchies in Britain and the long lasting legacy this had one Caribbean children, educated in Britain, in the post war era.

Documentary mentioned: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000w81h

This week we're exploring African and Caribbean solidarity in Britain and on a global level, with special guest Seun Matiluko. Pushing back against the currently quite divisive conversations that can happen around African and Caribbean individuals... we talk about the British Black Panthers, Olive Morris and the Nigerian diplomat, the 1986 Commonwealth games boycotts, Marcus Garvey and his political beefs and the points of diplomatic solidarity in a more modern context.

We're thinking about the second test match in the four match series between the West Indies and England in the summer of 1950. Immortalised by the calypsonians Lord Kitchener and Lord Beginner, this match 'it bound to go down in history'.

To listen to Victory Calypso: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFl9x3XzKSw

This is the last episode in our migration series where we will be looking at Nigerian migration into Britain with our special guest history student Abigael Fagbolagun!

We'll be discussing a brief history of Nigerian and also looking at the main ways Nigerian's in Britain created community and settled: Faith and the Church and Access to home.

Another episode in our migration series this week, with special guest, history PhD student Satya Gunput. He will be exploring his PhD research and his role as a historian currently working within the structures of UK academia. This is a part 2 to episode 31 and follows on from the discussions that took place in part 1.

Together we continue discussions on migration, focusing on the Punjabi community in Southall, the Southall Black sisters, the radicalisation of Asians in Britain, the recent (March 2021) government report on racial disparities, the 'war on British History' and systemic racial issues vs. individual racial struggles.

https://southallblacksisters.org.uk/

https://twitter.com/hisnameissatya

https://vimeo.com/476804477/89cf852f8c

Another episode in our migration series this week, with special guest, history PhD student Satya Gunput. He will be exploring his PhD research and his role as a historian currently working within the structures of UK academia.

Together we continue discussions on migration, focusing on the Punjabi community in Southall, different forms of anti-racist struggles, the Southall riots, the organisation of the Southall black Sisters and the case of Kiranjit Ahluwalia.

https://southallblacksisters.org.uk/

https://twitter.com/hisnameissatya

https://vimeo.com/476804477/89cf852f8c

The first episode in the three part migration series... this week we're looking at the islands of the Seychelles and the waves of migration into Britain with special guest Vanessa Stewart.

Is Britain still institutionally racist? This episode will focus on the recently published by the Commission for Race and Ethnic Disparities. Primarily, thinking about what this means for race relations today...

The daughter of the Alake of Abeokuta, a King in the southern region of Nigeria. Omo-Oba Adenrele Ademola arrived in Britain in 1935 and started her training as a midwife.

She balanced her role as a princess with the demands of her professional nursing career. Balancing royal social events in Britain with a nursing career that spanned 30 years. However, records of her life bear little significance in British archives. We'll discuss why that is and the significance of her life regarding empire, Britain's historical memory and the place of Black women in British history.

This episode is about Queen Nanny of the Maroons (c. 1686 – c. 1755). The Maroons were a group of formerly enslaved Africans, featuring in many Caribbean islands, forming separate communities and antagonising the colonisers on the island. They consistently resisted Spanish and then British colonialism and fought a guerrilla war over many years against British. Queen Nanny legacy is that of a military, spiritual and cultural leader.

Sisters Uncut: https://www.sistersuncut.org/

This episode we will be looking at instances of Black women resisting, in the context of women's current struggles to come to voice and be heard. Using Stella Dadzie's 'A Kick in the Belly' we'll discuss the women that resisted British and Portuguese colonialism, transatlantic slave ship rebellions and the military prowess of African women in the 17th and 18th Century.

The Grandmother of Black feminist movements in Britain. This episode we discuss OWAAD, its roots, aims, achievements and legacy. We also look at the book born out of the movement: 'The Heart of the Race' (1985) and discuss the importance of Black women writing their own historical narratives.

As we jump into Women's History Month (March 2021) we are thinking about the trailblazing British-Jamaican Mary Seacole. The doctress, healer and nurse who travelled across the world from the Caribbean to the Crimea to heal wounded soldiers on the battlefield. We'll be exploring her legacy and the way in which history often excludes Black women from its records.

To donate to Sistah-Space: https://uk.gofundme.com/f/httpsyoutubeCNDFliY7lk4

This week I am joined by Orisha, creator of The Reader's Collection. We discuss African American literature and the portrayal of 'Blackness' across several texts by authors and poets such as: Maya Angelou, Ralph Ellison, Octavia Butler, Toni Morrison and James Baldwin.

Our conversation goes from the representation of Black masculinity and fatherhood to the portrayal of women and how Black authors have subverted these narratives.

Ira Aldridge often remembered as a Black Briton was an American born actor that moved to Britain aged 17 to peruse his dreams of acting. He took to theatre stages across Europe wowing audiences. He is most widely known for his role of Othello but he took on a range of roles across many genres. Whilst the critics were hostile, audiences loved him. His acting career highlighting 19th Century expectations for Black people in society and on stage.

In this episode we going back to WWII, over 2 million US service personnel passed through the British isles during WWII. Whilst the American's acclimatised to the British way of life, their mannerisms and personalities. The British welcomed them and their contribution to the war effort, but also welcomed the racial prejudice, colour bar and Jim Crow laws they were so fond of... especially in the Southern States. This led to racial tensions and 'The Battle of Bamber Bridge' in Lancashire, 1943 . One of the many race riots between African-American soldiers and white commanding officers and military police, we discuss in this episode.

On the 12th February 1965, Malcolm X visited the infamous Marshall Street in Smethwick, Birmingham. Invited by the Indian Worker's Association to come and see witness the forced segregation in the areas pubs and other social settings. Marshall Street, was the street that was meant to be kept for 'whites only'. Faced with growing racial tension over immigration, a the conservative led council with MP Peter Griffiths at the helm decided, it would buy up any properties that came onto the market and let or sell them to white families only. In comes Malcolm X to witness the sorry state of affairs, only 9 days before he was assassinated.

In commemoration of the 40th anniversary of The New Cross Fire on 18th January 1981... This week's episode will look at the fire and place it into the context of race relations in Britain in the 1980s.

The fire led to the tragic deaths of 14 young Black people, after a fire broke out at 439 New Cross Road during the early hours of a 16th birthday party. Whilst inquests have ruled the fires cause unknown, the aftermath illuminated just how little British society cared about Black lives. An important message for us to understand in the era of the BLM movement, as we honour those lives lost in the fire by educating ourselves on what occurred that night and in the following days, months and even years.

Articles mentioned:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/jan/15/how-the-new-cross-fire-became-a-rallying-cry-for-political-action

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/may/15/race.london

Documentaries mentioned:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThykFdpuFkA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0WnoGdTkqw

This week we'll be exploring the Christmas breakfast staple in any Jamaican household and Jamaica's national dish: Ackee and Saltfish. Its improbable history takes us on a journey along the triangular trade route, from West Africa to Northern Europe and finally the tropic climates of Jamaica. The dish embodies the nation full of 'pieces that don’t seem to fit together,' but somehow work.

This week we're looking at the Brockwell Three, the creation of Black Sac and the collective protests against another incidence of police injustice, upheld by the legal system. We'll be exploring this within the context of the racial injustice system in the US with reference to Brandon Bernard and the impact of this on how we view capital punishment.

In line with Victorian standards of beauty, the idealised artistic muse, was white and pale skinned. But Jamaican Fanny Eaton (c.1835-1924) was one of the most influential muses to the Pre-Raphaelites during the 19th Century. Eaton came to Britain as a child only a few years after the abolition of slavery in the British colonies and went on to model for some of the most influential artists of the period. This episode will explore her life and her legacy.

Following on from the third instalment from Steve McQueen's Small Axe series: Red, White and Blue. This episode continues the story of Leroy Logan, a Black police officer, who made it his mission to fight racial inequality from within. We'll explore the policing of Black communities, the racism he faced, and his work fighting for racial equality.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000pzmb/small-axe-series-1-red-white-and-blue

The history of immigration, exploring the acts dating back to 1905. We also have a special guest Hannah Gaffey recent Cambridge masters graduate who has conducted research on the experiences of asylum seekers and refugees in Britain. We explore the systemic and historical failings of the home office and how politics, the media and public opinion influence immigration policy.

In the aftermath of WWI, many ex-servicemen were left without work in many of the major port cities. We'll explore how this led to race riots in cities such as Cardiff, Glasgow and: Liverpool and look at the treatment Black ex-servicemen received after the war. TW: Violence, Lynching, Murder.

During World War One Black officers in the British armed forces faced a system with prejudice at its core. We'll be highlighting the stories of three servicemen: David Louis Clemetson, George Bemand and Walter Tull, who were all at some point thought to be the first Black officer in the forces. Their stories in some ways run parallel but also highlight, how societies defined race and your personal identity, might not match.

Learie Constantine, MBE was a West Indian cricketer, lawyer and politician who served as Trinidad's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and became the UK's first black peer. This week we'll be looking at his landmark case in British race relations against the Imperial London Hotel.

On this weeks episode we will be reacting to Kemi Badenoch's (MP and Minister for Equalities) speech at the parliamentary Black History Month debate. Exploring BLM, white privilege, critical race theory and the way they exist within society today. We'll also be briefly looking at the way these things are taught in schools and how they should be taught... and the consequences of that.

This week will be shifting our focus to Nigeria and contextualising the current End SARS protests within the colonial history of the country. We'll be exploring the links with colonialism and corruption, which continues to plague countries within the continent of Africa. We will also be hearing from Nigerians across the diaspora about what the movement means to them and what we can do to help further it.

Opening track by Fikky: @Fikkyofficial on Instagram and Twitter

//TW: violence, torture, rape.

As the Presidential campaign rages on in the US, and debates of who can identify as 'Black' rage on we'll be discussing the social construction of race. This episode will take us on a global journey of how race has been classified in different parts of the world, from Caribbean slave societies to the American South and ending up in Modern Britain.

Britain had Black Panthers? Who were they? What did they stand for? This week's episode is about the British Black Panthers, we'll be exploring their influences, their politics and what they managed to achieve as a community organisation.

Why is it important to celebrate Black History Month? What should those celebrations look like? How does that impact the teaching of Black History throughout the rest of the year? This episode is asking and answering questions about Black History Month in Britain, and tapping into some of the key debates surrounding its existence.

This week's episode is centred around Beryl Gilroy who was one of Britain's first Black Headteachers. We contextualise her story based on her autobiography Black Teacher (1976) by studying the way Britain remembers Black women in the pages of their history books.

Today we're looking at Educationally Subnormal (ESN) schools that were opened in Britain in the 1960s and the impact they had on Black children. We're also exploring the impact and importance of Bernard Coard's 'How the West Indian Child is made Educationally Subnormal in the British School System?' and studying the legacy of the supplementary school.

A brief history of Wray and Nephew the popular Jamaican rum brand, this episode we're headed to Jamaica to understand the island's history, sugar production and how that all led to the creation of Wray and Nephew!

In this episode we explore the second part of the Mangrove Nine story. We'll be looking at the events of the protest, the trial and the aftermath of the land mark court case.

In this episode we explore the Mangrove Nine, who they were and what they did. We'll be contextualising the protests that led to nine people being charged with inciting a riot, by looking at: Notting Hill in the 1960s and early 1970s, the importance of the Mangrove restaurant and police intimidation at the time.