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Claudia Jones: The Forgotten And Powerful Journalist, Editor And Creator Of The Notting Hill Carnival
Disclaimer: This content is written for educational purposes and designed to educate the audience. This blog post about Claudia Jones reflects the knowledge at the time and it has been written to the best of my knowledge and may contain errors. It may be updated to enhance the image of the blog post. The owner of this blog may change the focus at any time. Please read this at your risk.
We have heard about the Notting Hill Carnival but there isn’t enough recognition about the visionary behind the popular street festival. Claudia Jones created the Notting Hill Carnival as a solution to celebrate Caribbean cultures.
This was a dangerous time because of the rise of racist and violent attacks from white people when many Caribbean citizens were moving to the UK from 1948 to 1971. Jones took matters into her own hands despite her health challenges.
This topic explores the life and legacy of Claudia Jones, a journalist and communist who championed the rights of black people, a community activist who challenged racism and wrote about the experiences, exploitation and mistreatment of black women.
Who was Claudia Jones?
Claudia Jones was a Trinidadian journalist, community activist and founder of the West Indian Gazette newspaper and Notting Hill Carnival. Born Claudia Vera Cumberbatch on the 21st February 1915, in Trinidad and Tobago and grew up with 4 sisters.
She moved to Harlem, New York after her parents moved to the United States of America to seek better opportunities and a better quality of life.
Her mother died when she was only 13, she did well in school but financial issues prevented her from attending her high school graduation.
Furthermore, living in unfit living conditions affected her health and she was diagnosed with tuberculosis.
What did Claudia Jones do for a living?
After graduating from high school, she worked various jobs to earn a living, including writing for the local black nationalist newspaper, Harlem Journal. In 1936, she joined the National Youth Communist League and became a member of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People.
Her efforts were recognised as she quickly rose through the ranks and in 1937 she became the editor of the Daily Worker and then edited the Weekly Review in 1938.
On top of that, it was dangerous to be a communist during the time because the American government was targeting people who were communists or people they suspected to be part of the political organisation.
Also, she understood the importance of black women’s rights and wrote an essay about black womanhood called An End To The Neglect of The Negro Woman in 1949.
An AI image created by Dall-e 3 shows a typewriter, books, a pen and a notebook. Why did Claudia Jones move to Britain?
She was arrested because she was an important member of the Communist party in the USA and she served time in a women’s prison because of her health challenges, she had to seek medical treatment.
British colonial governor Hubert Rance refused to let Claudia Jones return to Trinidad and Tobago in case she succeeded in empowering the people and mobilising the communities in her native country.
Instead, she was deported to Britain in 1955 and spent the remaining years in London.
What did she do in London?
Once Jones settled in London it didn’t take long for her to return to journalism and political activism. She noticed the prevalent racial discrimination in housing, employment and education. In March 1958 Jones created a a local newspaper called the West Indian Gazette and Afro-Asian Caribbean News.
This newspaper was crucial in informing the black communities of events that were happening since the mainstream newspapers focused on negative stereotypes, the West Indian Gazette focused on the things that mattered to the black communities.
Jones also created the Notting Hill Carnival on the 30th January 1959 at the St. Pancras Town Hall to celebrate and uplift the Caribbean communities during a difficult time and to bring joy despite the harsh realities of dealing with racism.
“A people without a voice are lambs to the slaughter.”
-Claudia JonesOn the 31st August 1963, she organised the March for Washington for Jobs and Freedom in London.
When did Claudia Jones pass away?
She died on Christmas Day 1964 in her sleep after her long battle with tuberculosis which affected her health since she was a child growing up in New York.
Her funeral was attended by many left-leaning counterparts and friends and she was buried in Highgate in London. After her death, the West Indian Gazette stopped selling the newspaper and Notting Hill Carnival is one of the most celebrated and popular Caribbean street festivals in Europe.
Final Thoughts
Claudia Jones was a remarkable and powerful journalist and activist ahead of her time. She deserves her flowers for her work and for the difficulties she faced in dealing with her health.
Claudia Jones’ legacy is a powerful reminder of the impact one person can have on society. As a champion for civil rights, she fought tirelessly for equality and justice, inspiring many to continue her work. Her contributions to culture, especially in the Black community, still resonate today.
Thank you for reading this blog post about Claudia Jones and her important work in journalism and activism. I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback about this post, so don’t forget to comment below. Let me know what other topics in black British history you want me to write about in the future.
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Uncovering Forgotten Stories: A Journey Through the Windrush Generation History
Disclaimer: The Windrush Generation is for educational purposes and this post is about the Windrush Generation. This story of the Windrush, to the best of my knowledge, may contain errors and omissions. I am not a professional historian or a history teacher. This is strictly informational. Please read this post at your risk. The focus of this blog can change at any time and will not affect the quality of the blog.
There is a strong influence of the Windrush Generation in the UK, whether it’s through history, culture, or legacy. The Windrush generation has shaped the culture of black British communities and modern British society.
This topic is significant because they have contributed a tremendous amount of dedication and work to Britain. The laws passed by the British Government through the Windrush Scandal have also humiliated them.
This scandal relates to the time when they arrived in the UK between 1948 and 1971, immigration laws, documents, and racism targeted at the Windrush generation.
Despite the unnecessary attack and the challenges, the story of the Windrush generation is a hopeful, positive, cruel and uncertain journey and will leave you feeling inspired and grateful for the rich cultures they brought to the UK.
The Caribbean presence during the WW2
Around 10,000 soldiers from the Caribbean countries fought in the 2nd World War for the British army. 100 women joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force and Auxiliary Territorial Services. After the war, some veterans stayed in Britain and they never returned to the Caribbean.
Before the Windrush ship, other Caribbean citizens travelled to the UK, such as the SS Ormonde ship that arrived in March 1947, which carried highly skilled professionals such as engineers and plumbers and the ship Almanzora which arrived the same year in December.
An image created by Afro Lit Stories using AI from Canva. Who is the Windrush Generation?
After the 2nd World War, the UK was struggling with the economy and they were dealing with the aftermath of the war. Many people died during the war, to rebuild the economy and fill job shortages. The British Government asked the Caribbean countries that they colonised (at the time) to help rebuild the country and promised jobs in NHS, transportation and postal service.
There was an advert from a Jamaican newspaper that notified people of a ship called Empire Windrush that would sail to the Caribbean nations from the UK many people were looking to start a new life, and were looking for better opportunities and for many people, it was to escape poverty.
In 1948, the British government passed a law known as the British Nationality Act, which gave people from British colonies the right to work in the country.
According to the BBC, this meant that people who got a Commonwealth passport could work in the UK and this also meant that they could bring their children on their parents’ passports and there was no need to bring more documents to prove they had the right to work in Britain.
The Windrush ship set off and travelled to different countries in the Caribbean, such as Guyana, Jamaica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The ship carried 1,027 passengers, including famous individuals like the singer Lord Kitchener, who was once known as the ‘King of Calypso’.
According to the National Archives, a 21-year-old Trinidadian musician called Mona Baptiste became successful in Europe and sang in French, German and Spanish.
The secret document reveals the worries about immigration
A gif of 2 black women acting shocked by Giphy from Canva. Did you know that a group of MPs got together to warn former Prime Minister Clement Atlee to tell him he should stop the Windrush ship from arriving in the UK?
Two days before the Windrush ship arrived, a group of MPs expressed concern about the influx of non-white citizens coming to work in the UK.
Another document revealed that government officials asked the government to stop Caribbean citizens on the Ormonde ship that arrived in Liverpool in 1947.
The document revealed they had no particular skills, which is false because many people on the ship had skills suitable for the jobs that needed employees.
Life was tough for them. They faced racism, which is a global racist system, but they persevered and continued to build a better life for themselves. And some people found jobs as nurses in the NHS, nursing homes, cleaning and factory work.
What happened to the Windrush Generation when they arrived?
The ship docked in Essex on June 22, 1948, which is known as Windrush Day. Many people from the Caribbean migrated to Britain between 1948 and 1971. In 1971, the Nationality Act allowed the right for people to live in the UK permanently.
Work permits replaced employment vouchers, which implies temporary work. An important point is that immigration in the UK became stricter because by the time it was 1971, 500,000 people from the Commonwealth countries had settled in the UK.
One consideration is that individuals who migrated between 1948 and 1971 learned that Britain was their mother country. And that there would be jobs available. However, the UK greeted them with racism and hostility once they settled in.
How was the Windrush generation treated?
Racism denied them jobs and accommodations, prompting them to start businesses such as barbershops, hairdressers, fashion, market stalls, design and restaurants, which provided them with income and helped the communities thrive.
Communal gatherings provided a sense of community that took place in living rooms known as “blue parties” or shebeens, which is an Irish slang.
An image of a dinner party at a living room created by Afro Lit Stories using AI. These blue parties became more popular, and this led to famous events such as the famous Notting Hill Carnival in London which takes place every August.
An image of a black band created by Afro Lit Stories using AI from Canva. How have they shaped black British culture?
According to poet, novelist and musician Anthony Joseph, the Windrush generation brought art, literature, music and food to Britain. Ska came before reggae and Lord Shawty coined the term ‘soul of calypso’ to revive calypso in the 1970s.
One part of culture which is essential to society is music. A lot of the music that people listen to today originated from the different Caribbean styles of music, such as ska and reggae.
In addition, the sound system culture played a role in shaping black British music because this is where they created their underground events because of exclusion from the mainstream.
This music technology has led to the creation of other electronic genres like dubstep, jungle, garage, grime, and drum ‘n’ bass. Ska, dub and reggae influences punk rock and new wave.
There are many businesses that have contributed to providing communities for black people such as students, veterans, freed and enslaved people.
These were cafes, bars and social clubs that provided a safe haven for black communities. This happened before the Windrush generation arrived in Britain. Restaurants such as The Old Trafford Bakery and Mister Patty in the 1960s and the Black and White, Mangrove Nine and R&JJ in London.
What is the Windrush Scandal?
The Immigration Act in 2014 required that employers, landlords, banks and NHS check the immigration status of people who may be illegal immigrants living in the UK.
These laws allowed people to work here and live in the UK permanently, linking the scandal to the immigration acts of 1971 and 1948.
The Windrush scandal made headlines in 2017 under the former Prime Minister Theresa May’s government. Other news revealed that in 2010, The Home Office destroyed landing cards without explaining why they destroyed these documents.
The Windrush scandal made headlines in 2017 under the former Prime Minister Theresa May’s government at the time.
In 2010, the Home Office destroyed landing cards without explaining their actions. In 2018, it came to light that the Home Office failed to keep records or provide victims with necessary paperwork to show their status.
This scandal also impacted finances and mental health by causing job losses, denying healthcare, and destroying lives
In 2019, the government established the Windrush compensation scheme to help individuals who were wrongly detained.
However, critics have accused the compensation scheme of not taking matters seriously, such as delays in payment and giving low offers.
Final Thoughts
A few years ago, a TV drama called Sitting in Limbo aired. It’s a really good drama that gives you an idea of what they went through in terms of finding the evidence, dealing with the home office, detention, and deportation.
It’s a contradiction as well because, on one hand, they could work in the UK with the documents and now they had to show evidence that they could live here legally.
And why would the home office destroy evidence and then the law changes which ask people to show proof of residency? Something doesn’t add up.
Thank you for reading the blog post, I hope you enjoyed reading it and leave a comment below and let me know what you think of the topic.
Please share the blog post with other black women interested in black British history and who would enjoy this type of content.
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A New Era: Reshaping The Representation Of Black Women In The Digital Space And Disrupting Stereotypes
We know that the power of media can influence the way we perceive people. We are aware of how stereotypes of black women can perpetuate the negative representation of black women globally.
This can affect black women negatively and this is represented in many ways that degrade black womanhood such as hip-hop videos where black women are used as objects and the term “baby mama” which places a negative stigma on black motherhood.
2 black women sitting on the floor with one arm on the knee, posing and smiling. Photo by Alex Starnes from Pexels on Canva. 
Photo of a black woman with a long long-sleeved shirt by Dellon Thomas on Pexels. This is why this topic is important because positive representation of black women is crucial for self-confidence, higher self-esteem and self-worth which we know is crucial for believing in yourself.
Post-Brexit has amplified how other people’s experiences and opinions about topics such as immigration contributed to the UK leaving the European Union in 2016. Covid-19 affected the mental health of black communities and increased the existing health inequalities since black communities were more affected due to lockdown.
In terms of documenting the experiences of black women, there haven’t been many reports that have spoken about black women’s experiences in the UK. A report by Springer published by Francesca Sobande talks about a report written in 1995 by the European Women’s Lobby that was based on women from different ethnic backgrounds. There isn’t a lot of information about this report so it is unknown how much progress was made from this study.
This is important because social media, blogs and search engines have created spaces for black women to discuss diverse topics that can help build online communities and connect with other black women from different cultures, ethnic groups, languages and occupational backgrounds.
This relates to the stereotypes because digital experiences have enabled many black women to change the way the mainstream media have portrayed black women through the power of storytelling.
The Black Cultural Archive is the only organisation in the UK that archives and preserves the black experiences of people of African and Caribbean descent.
Black Feminist Organisation and Experiences
There has been a history of black feminist organisations that have provided spaces for black women to meet and discuss the issues that relate to black women in the UK during the 1970s and 1980s.
They focused on several political, social and cultural issues ranging from reproductive health, immigration, culture, housing and health. These topics were discussed using their newsletter Speak Out.
There have been events that have focused on black women such as International Women’s Week at the black art gallery in 1986, and the Black Women and Media Conference in the factory in West London in 1984 provided spaces for black women to amplify their voices.
Also, the National Black Women’s Conference hosted by the Organisation of Women of African and Asian Descent in 1980.
The Brixton Black Women’s Group were instrumental in making sure that black women’s voices were heard and felt supported and they provided a place for other black women to meet, network and discuss in a safe space.
Stereotypes And The Representation of Black Women in the USA
The exploitation of the black woman’s image has been known and documented, it has been a profitable yet negative way of stereotyping black women that has controlled the way some people perceive black women. There are 4 black stereotypes that have been dominating the film industry for a long time and black culture. These are baby mama image, Mammy, Sapphire and Jezebel.
Mammy– The Enslaved Negative Stereotype
The Mammy character is rooted in racism and colourism and this is a character that was designed to be degraded by the white audiences. According to the author and professor Marquita M. Gammage of the book Representation of Black Women in the Media, she explained that these images were designed to ridicule black women to justify the mistreatment, racial discrimination and physical and sexual assault of black women.
According to the BBC, this stereotype originated in the USA and was influenced by transatlantic slavery in the USA. Historians have stated that 90% of enslaved black women during slavery at the time died young and this implies that the idea of Mammy is fictional.
Mammy is described as an overweight, dark-skinned black woman, a myth created to romanticise the idea of slavery, she worked in the white slaveowner’s house was loyal to the white family and prioritised her needs towards the children of the slaveowners more than her own family.
In her book, Professor Gammage explained that this myth was created to maintain the racist system because slavery was a legal, economic system that produced wealth for the white slaveowners.
Racist films such as Gone With The Wind have contributed to the development of black characters that ridicule black people. In the film, the Oscar-winning actress Hattie McDaniel plays a maid who isn’t seen as feminine or attractive. She was operating from her masculine energy based on the environment that was designed to abuse her. One thing to note is that she was in her superwoman image of doing everything.
This film revealed many concepts such as beauty and femininity, because in the West whiteness is the standard of beauty and anything that is not white is the opposite. This is why Hattie McDaniel and the other black actresses were not perceived with femininity, honour and grace in the film. These roles were not created for positive representation of black women but rather harmful to black womanhood.
The Jezebel Stereotype
Another famous stereotype used to devalue black womanhood is the Jezebel image. This image was created as a sexually liberated black woman who could potentially lure white men to bed.
She was perceived as a younger or middle-aged woman who was hypersexual and couldn’t control her sexual desires. According to the Open Edition journal, Jezebel was a promiscuous woman and as a result, this justified the white slaveowners to sexually abuse enslaved black women based on a myth.
An example that was used in Professor Gammage’s book was Olivia Pope from Scandal. Even though Ms Pope is smart and driven, the idea that she could be seen as Jezebel was the fact that she had an affair with the President and this may look like she lured the President when in reality they made their own decisions to have a secret affair.
The Sapphire Stereotype
This stereotype is based on the idea of the so-called angry black woman, this was an attempt to control how black women are supposed to feel when we know the importance of expressing our emotions. When black women are not allowed to process our emotions we are given the label-angry black woman.
In comparison, the benefits of white privilege allow white women to process their emotions means that the whole group of white women isn’t judged and because white men have uplifted white women as the standard of beauty where whiteness is valued globally, white womanhood isn’t judged, and white women are welcomed with empathy when they are angry.
An article by the BBC portrayed Serena Williams as the “angry black woman” when she was given a penalty for breaking her racquet, another penalty for calling the umpire “a thief” and a code violation for coaching during the US Open final in 2018 against the mixed-race tennis player Naomi Osaka. This included getting fined £13,000($17,000).
In comparison, in the film Home Alone, there is a scene where the mum is at the airport feeling angry because she left her son home alone while she was talking to the staff at the airport.
If you watch the scene you can tell she’s upset but if she was a black woman who left her son home alone- most likely she would have been labelled crazy and would have been stigmatised as a black mother.
In this case, she would have been emasculating her husband, lacked maternal instinct and did not care about her responsibilities as a mother.
This is how deep the racist stereotype of black women has influenced the perception of black women which is why it is important to point out the hypocrisy because we forget how deep the racial stereotyping has even influenced how black mothers are treated in the black community.
The Baby Mama Stereotype
According to the 34st the term “baby mama” is an African-American slang given to black women who are mothers. Baby Mama is being used to portray black women as a problem because it shows much respect and values black men place on black women. Both parents have responsibility for raising their child however, in the black community, the mother tends to be ostracised more compared to black men who are absentee fathers.
An example is Russell Wilson who raises her son that she had with rapper Future who is uplifted by black men despite having children with different women and not taking accountability for being more involved with his children.
This is something you hear on social media about many black men who don’t feel the need to raise their children and provide financial support which sends the wrong message to the younger generation and this is something that needs to be discussed especially in the UK.
A single parent shouldn’t be blamed for raising her child when the father decides not to be in the picture. She is already in her masculine and feminine energy to nurture and provide and this explains why black women have to be strong to cope because it can lead to health issues.
The Positive Representation of Black Women
2 black twins with locs looking at their smartphone. Photo by THE PALMER on Canva The blogosphere and social media have provided great opportunities for black women to talk about their experiences. It has allowed black women to amplify their voices online and enable black women to connect with other like-minded black women.
Digital content reflects the authentic voices of black women globally instead of relying on the mainstream media to tell our stories, this opens up more opportunities for black women to take control of their narrative.
It disrupts the stereotype that the mainstream media has been using to portray black womanhood. Search engines such as YouTube have provided many opportunities for black content creators because black women can search and build communities in places that aren’t as diverse such as gaming, anime or beauty.
A woman recording her podcast. Photo by Anna stills These publications are some of the independent online magazines that cater to the experiences of black women. They are:
There are more recent TV series that focus on black women’s stories and experiences such as Insecure, Awkward Black Girl, How To Get Away With Murder, Scandal and Queen Sugar which features a dark-skinned actress called Rutina Wesley as Nova Bordelon as one of the main characters who is a bisexual, free-spirited and spiritual woman.
Recently, Channel 4 aired the show ‘Queenie’ based on the book of the same name by the author Candice McCarty-Williams. The book is great, frustrating and enjoyable(I would recommend reading it if you haven’t read it yet).
Conclusion
This post explores the representation of black women looking at digital experiences in the UK and negative stereotypes and the USA. The representation of black women can progress when we focus on telling our stories.
Yes, it’s important to see yourself positively on TV, however, there is a need for black women to continue telling the narratives are authentic and beneficial for better representation.
This is why platforms such as Black Ballad and Black Girl Fest are as important as TV shows such as Insecure because the show was created by black actress and entrepreneur Issa Rae.
It was joyful to see the representation of black millennial women living life dealing with adulting, relationships, ghosting and family in a way that shows the range of emotions and without the need to ridicule black women.
Also, black women have a huge spending power and this means that we can invest in diverse stories and feature black women as multifaceted with various interests, doing activities that you don’t see day to day and the stories are compelling even if they involve suffering, it’s written from black women’s perspective.
Thank you for reading this blog post, I hope you enjoyed this topic and if it was interesting to you, let me know what you thought about it in the comments and let’s start a conversation. I will be writing more about this topic because documenting our experiences as black women is crucial.
eBook: Representation of Black Women in the Media: The Damnation of Black Womanhood by Marquita Marie Gammage.
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Tina Bell: The Overlooked And Forgotten Pioneer of Grunge
Disclaimer: This article is written for educational purposes to the best of my knowledge and may contain errors and omissions. I am not a qualified historian or a teacher and this blog may change focus at any time please read this at your own risk.
Introduction
When you think of grunge music, who do you think of? White men in a band such as Nirvana. Even though there are black people in famous indie rock bands such as Skunk Anansi or Bloc Party, grunge tends to be associated with predominantly white men. It ignores other bands that don’t fit into the white male image of rock music.
Who are the Bam Bam?
Did you know that a black woman called Tina Bell was in a rock band called Bam Bam who helped create the subgenre known as grunge by combining punk and heavy metal?
Bam Bam was a grunge rock band that was created in 1983 in Seattle, USA. The band included Tina Bell, the lead singer and songwriter, her husband and guitarist Tommy Martin, the drummer Matt Cameron and the bass guitarist Scotty Ledgerwood.
Cameron left the group in 1984 and formed other bands such as Soundgarden and Pearl Jam and Tom Hendrickson replaced him. Ms Bell was known for her powerful vocals and stage presence that captivated the audience.
Who is Tina Bell?
Tina Bell was born on the 5th February 1957 in Seattle and she was the oldest daughter of 10 children and sang in the Mount Zion Baptist church as a child. She attended Washington State University, studied drama, and then joined the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute.
As a student, she was preparing to sing the French rendition of the song C’est Si Bon and needed a French tutor to help with the lyrics. She called Tommy Martin from an advert in the newspaper and Mr Martin and Ms Bell fell in love, they got married and had a son called TJ.
Bam Bam had loyal fans in Seattle and released 1 EP called Villains (Also Wear White), 2 singles called Ground Zero and Show What You Know and 2 albums called Free Fall from Space, and Bam Bam House Demo. They performed at packed gigs and live shows, and they were voted twice for the best Seattle bands and performed at the Metropolis.
An AI illustration of a black woman with a mohawk using Canva by Afro Lit Stories. What happened to Tina Bell?
According to the Culture Rock Griot interview, Ledgerwood explained that Bam Bam didn’t get the recognition they deserved because of the racism and sexism that contributed to the band being erased from grunge history.
Ledgerwood continued revealing how black women are meant to be portrayed as the “hip-hop, R&B or a soul diva” Since she was the lead singer of a rock band, it didn’t fit into the idea of what a rock band should represent at the time.
In the 1980s, Bam Bam moved to Europe with the aim that living in Europe would give them more opportunities for the band. However, things didn’t go as planned because by the time they left the USA, grunge had already reached the mainstream audience, and living in Europe didn’t advance their careers.
As the writer Jen B. Larson wrote in the article by The Stranger she explains that “audiences were not ready to see an African-American in a rock band.”
The lack of acknowledgement affected the band especially Ms Bell since she helped grunge thrive and erasure is nothing new to black artists who have created and innovated music, only to be forgotten. They returned to the US and Ms Bell left the band in 1990. She divorced Mr Martin in 1996, became depressed and turned to spirituality, religion and astrology.
How did she die?
Ms Bell died on the 10th October 2012 due to cirrhosis and struggled with depression and alcoholism. According to her son TJ Martin, Ms Bell was dead for a couple of weeks and her belongings were thrown out without notifying her family.
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed reading this short blog post. I can imagine how she must have felt leaving the band, knowing how exhausted and frustrated she must have felt not receiving her recognition. The fact that I heard about her a couple of years ago shows that Ms Bell was forgotten and overlooked.
Don’t forget to share this blog post with other black women interested in knowing more about black women’s experiences and stories in society. And let me know what you think about this blog post in the comments.
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3 Overlooked Black Women of the British Black Panthers
Disclaimer: This blog contains content that is written about British black Panthers for educational purposes. The information provided is accurate to the best of my knowledge and there may be omissions and errors. I am not a qualified teacher or historian and should not be seen as educational advice. I reserve the right to run and manage my blog and the focus of this blog may change at any time.
These 3 influential black women are known for their community activism, organising and championing black people’s rights especially black women’s rights.
An illustration of 2 black women posing by the bookshelf. Illustration from AI on Canva. Who is Altheia Jones-LeCointe?
A physician and a research scientist from Trinidad and Tobago, she was considered the leader of the British black Panthers, her experience in politics started when she was younger. Her parents were active in politics and were part of the People’s National Movement.
She moved to Britain to study chemistry at University College London and was shocked about the hostile treatment and racism she received as a black woman in the 1960s and sought groups to join that reflected her experiences.
When the British black Panthers came to support black students at the university, that is when she became more politically active in the university and joined the British Black Panthers.
During the Mangrove Nine trial, she represented and defended herself in the court system and this led to the Mangrove Nine trial being acquitted after a long trial that lasted 55 days.
She became one of the renowned activists in the British black Power movement during the 1960s and 1970s.
Who was the Brixton Black Women’s Group?
Illustration of black women at a meeting in a bookshop created using AI on Canva. After the British Black Panthers split as an organisation, Beverley Bryan, Olive Morris and Liz Obi left to create their organisation called Brixton Black Women’s Group.
This was established as a result of sexism and a lack of interest in empowering black women. They created a safe space which was necessary to focus on addressing issues concerning black women.
How did they help black women?
The organisation offered advice and support to black women in the local community, similar to the British black Panthers but this time, they were more focused on the experiences of black women.
Who is Olive Morris?
Olive Morris was an influential community activist, feminist and leader, who became active in politics when she witnessed a Nigerian diplomat being assaulted by police officers because he had a Mercedes. When she rushed to help him, she ended up being assaulted by policemen and fined.
She defended the rights of black people who squatted in empty buildings. Squatting was a common practice that happened as a result of racist housing practices. This meant that some black families were put in poor accommodation that wasn’t fit for the standard of living.
What happened after she left the British black panthers?
After she left the Panthers, she focused on building the Brixton Black Women’s Group and moved to Manchester and studied Economics and Social science degree at the University of Manchester.
While she was studying she created the Manchester Black Women’s Cooperative. She travelled globally, writing and lecturing on topics based on women’s and black empowerment and racism.
How did she pass away?
In her final years, she collaborated with another activist and writer Stella Dadzie and created OWAAD(Organisation of Women of African and Asian Descent). While she was in Spain she started to feel ill and she discovered that she developed blood cancer. Olive Morris passed away on the 12th July 1979. from a form of cancer aged 27.
Who is Beverley Bryan?
A retired professor, writer, activist and teacher, Bryan moved from Jamaica to England and attended the same school as the late activist, close friend and founder Olive Morris.
In her youth, she joined the West Indian Centre and then joined a black arts workshop and travelled to different youth clubs across the country. They used poetry and spoken word to challenge negative racial stereotypes.
After completing her teaching training at Keele University, she moved to Brixton and joined the British Black Panthers. She used education to solve issues in the black community helped educate children at the supplementary schools and taught Maths, English and History.
An illustration created by AI by Afro Lit Stories on Canva. Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed reading the article about the 3 powerful women and how influential they are in the black community as educators, activists and community organisers who were determined to make changes in the black community using education and knowledge of self.
If you are intrigued by black British history and want to know more about black women’s contribution then share this article with another black woman who enjoys reading this topic. And don’t forget to leave a comment and let me hear your thoughts below.
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No Longer Forgotten: The British Black Panthers Story
Disclaimer: This article is written for educational purposes about British black Panthers and may include the opinions of the writer. It is accurate to the best of my knowledge but there may be omissions in this blog post. I reserve the right to change how I run and manage my blog and may change focus at any time.
A group of black people protested in the streets. Illustration from Canva. A Brief Historical Background
Before the Windrush generation arrived in June 1948, black communities were dealing with racial discrimination and racism(even though we are still dealing with racism) from members of the white society.
In 1919, there were many attacks against black people that took place in London, Manchester, Hull and South Shields.
Before the racial discrimination law was passed in 1965, there was a legal yet racist practice called the colour bar which made it extremely difficult for black people to seek and apply for jobs and accommodation.
Who were the British Black Panthers?
A Nigerian playwright called Obi Egbuna created the British black Panthers in Notting Hill, West London in 1968. Influenced by the activists of the Black Panther Party in the USA, they adopted military jackets and black power fists without using any weapons.
The aim was to address police brutality and included the idea of political blackness. The British black panthers adopted the concept of political blackness because all non-white people are affected by racism, and they decided that it would be more suitable to refer to everyone as black in the organisation.
Another key difference is that there were Asian activists involved with the British black Panthers from the beginning such as writers and activists Farrukh Dhondy and Mala Sen. Unfortunately, the presence of the founder was cut short when he was arrested for allegedly threatening the police.
Who were the members of the organisation?
The organisation grew to 3,000 people but the main activists in the organisation were Altheia Jones-LeCointe, a Trinidadian PhD student who was considered the leader of the organisation, and Eddie LeCointe, an activist and later Altheia Jones’ husband.
And the late Olive Morris, an influential community activist and leader who joined the organisation when she was younger and defended squatter’s rights.
Other renowned members included Liz Obi, an activist and feminist who was a close friend of Olive Morris. Beverley Bryan, a retired lecturer, activist and writer who used to teach children at the Saturday schools and Darcus Howe, the late Trinidadian writer and activist who was involved in the Black Power movement abroad and in the UK.
Barbara Beese, an activist who was involved in the protest and in the Mangrove Nine Trial and Neil Kenlock, a photographer who captured the important events.
An illustration of black people protesting on the streets. Illustration by Canva. What was the Mangrove Nine trial?
The Mangrove Nine was a restaurant that was established by Frank Crichlow in 1968 in Notting Hill, a Caribbean restaurant that became a haven for the black community. The restaurant attracted famous people such as the late Jimi Hendrix, Nina Simone, and Diana Ross.
However, the restaurant was known to receive harassment from the police because they thought that a successful black-owned business must have been funded by criminal activities.
Mr Crichlow sought help from the British black Panthers and on the 9th August 1970, they led a protest with 150 people which turned violent and resulted in a trial. The trial lasted for 55 days and was successful because it exposed the racism in the police force.
It was nine activists that were arrested including Altheia Jones-LeCointe, Darcus Howe, Frank Critchlow, Godfrey Millet, Rothwell Kentish, Rhodan Gordon, Barbara Beese, Rupert Boyce and Anthony Innis.
What did the British black panthers achieve?
They achieved many things such as creating supplementary schools also known as Saturday Schools and creating their newspaper called Freedom News. These schools were instrumental in making sure that black children were taught their history and instilled a sense of black pride and self-confidence.
They had branches throughout England that were located in cities such as Manchester, Bristol and Nottingham. They established the Black Power Youth League which Olive Morris and Linton Kwesi Johnson were members of when they joined the organisation.
Why did the organisation end?
The British black Panthers split in 1973 and the members decided to embark on other projects. Each activist contributed their skills and experience which made the British black Panthers successful and necessary in the black community.
According to an article by Refinery29, Altheia Jones-LeCointe mentioned that she made sure that women had their voices heard in the organisation that there were discussions based on gender roles and that there was a need for a group dedicated to black women.
The split of the organisation included sexism which the women experienced and led Olive Morris, Liz Obi and Beverly Bryan to start the Brixton Black Women’s group.
Focus on Black Male Leadership
One thing that needs to be discussed more openly is the focus on black men during the civil rights and black power movements. This is an important conversation to have because we know that black women have contributed a lot to these movements and they are not always recognised.
Black women have contributed to different black power movements and have been involved in progressing the black community and there isn’t enough recognition to acknowledge the black women activists and educators.
On the other hand, when we do learn about the black power movement in the USA, the recognition isn’t given to black women compared to black men.
The issue with Political blackness
It’s problematic to refer to everyone as black when they were not born as a black person. Yes, Asian people also suffer from racism, however the idea of referring to them as black isn’t helpful. It’s like giving away your race to people who are not black and psychologically it doesn’t make any sense.
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoy reading about the British black panthers as much as I enjoyed researching them. It’s a shame that you don’t hear about them during school or in college.
Don’t forget to share this post and comment below about your thoughts regarding the British Black Panthers, political blackness, the focus on the men and not enough focus on black women in these black power movements and sexism.
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The Life and Legacy of Bessie Coleman
Disclaimer: This article is based on Bessie Coleman for educational purposes. The information about this topic is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge, but there may be omissions. I am not a qualified historian or teacher and should remind readers to read at their own risk. I reserve the right to change how I run and manage this blog and may change focus at any time.
Bessie Coleman wears her pilot uniform. A photo from the Everett Collection in Canva. This is an inspirational story featuring Bessie Coleman, a black Native American pilot who broke the racial and gender barriers by achieving her goal of becoming the first black female pilot in 1921 in France. It has been 102 years since she received her licence and influenced black people to kickstart their careers in aviation.
Who is Bessie Coleman?
Bessie Coleman was born and raised in Texas on the 26th January, 1892 and grew up in a large family. Coleman was a bright student who excelled in Maths and helped her mother pick cotton since her parents were sharecroppers and washed laundry to earn income.
She studied at the Oklahoma Colored Agricultural and Normal University (now Langston) but she had to leave because of financial difficulties.
What did Bessie Coleman do for a living?
When she was 23, she moved to Chicago to live with her older brother and secured a job as a manicurist at a barbershop after completing her education at the Burnham School of Beauty Culture.
While she was working, her brother John Coleman came into the barbershop, who wasn’t fully sober teased her saying that French women were more liberated and were allowed to fly aeroplanes and he was right. It was in the barbershop that she decided to become a pilot.
How did she become a renowned pilot?
While living in Chicago, she made connections and befriended prominent black entrepreneurs such as Richard Abbott, a businessman and publisher of the Chicago Defender newspaper. Also, Jesse Binga, an entrepreneur who owned a bank and both businessmen played an essential role in ensuring she achieved her goal.
She applied for aviation schools in the USA and got rejected because of her race and gender, however, that didn’t stop her from learning how to fly.
It was Mr.Abbott who suggested that she should apply for a flight school in France since they were “less sexist and racist” and were more accepting of teaching and training French women to become pilots.
In the meantime, she applied for schools in France, switched jobs to become the manager of a restaurant to save money and took French lessons that were paid for by Jesse Binga.
A flight school called the Caudron Brothers School of Aviation in Le Crotoy in France accepted her application and she left in November 1920. She spent 7 months training as a pilot and was awarded the international licence by the Federation Aero Nautique Internationale in June 1921.
The air is the only place free from prejudices
-Bessie ColemanWhat happened after she became a pilot?
When she returned to America, she became a celebrity in the black community and became a stunt pilot. She returned to Europe to gain more experience and visited countries such as France, Netherlands and Germany before returning to America.
It was during this time that she became known as Queen Bess and became famous for barnstorming such as looping the loops and parachuting off the plane. Also, she toured the country and gave lectures to the black community.
How did she die?
She was rehearsing for an airshow in Florida and took her last flight with a mechanic called William Wills who was flying the Aeroplane.
According to the Independent, she was preparing to parachute off the plane when a wrench got caught in the engine and she was thrown out of the plane and didn’t survive the fall.
The mechanic didn’t survive the crash either as he lost control of the plane. She was only 34 years old and her ambition was to open a flight school so that black people could take flight lessons.
Over 5,000 people attended her funeral as they paid their last respects to the pioneering pilot. It was the journalist and activist Ida B. Wells who delivered her eulogy at the funeral.
Remembering Bessie Coleman
In 1929, William J. Powell, a black pilot started a flight school and called it Bessie Coleman Aviators Club in her honour. In 1977, black women started an aviation organisation called Bessie Coleman Aviators. It is important to not let race get in the way of your ambition.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article because I read a book about her and even though I have heard of her, I was inspired by her story and that she was passionate and determined to achieve her goals.
Let me know what you think of the blog post in the comments below, I appreciate the feedback and want to make sure that the content is intriguing. Don’t forget to share this blog post with other black women who are fascinated by black history and thank you for reading.
Reference
eBook: Bessie Coleman- First Female African-American and Native American Pilot by Cathleen Small.
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