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The British Black Power Movement *A History Thread*
In the UK, black people make up only 3% of the population. So although the British black power movement ran almost side by side with the American black power movement it was much smaller in size.
The American Black Power movement largely represented the descendants of African slaves.
In Britain, the Black Power movement represented many different groups of people. Mainly immigrants from the Caribbean, West Africa, & Southern Asia.
In Britain, the Black Power movement represented many different groups of people. Mainly immigrants from the Caribbean, West Africa, & Southern Asia.
In 1952, the Mccarran-Walter act passed in the USA. It limited the number of immigrants allowed into the US from the West Indies to 800 people.
Within a few years England began to see a rise in immigration from these nations because the US no longer accepted them.
Within a few years England began to see a rise in immigration from these nations because the US no longer accepted them.
There was also immigration from West African nations as well as South Asian nations like India and Pakistan.
In 1962 the Commonwealth Immigrants Act was passed in the United Kingdom. Although it only put some controls on immigration it was part of a bigger feeling growing in the UK. Many believed that immigrants were ruining British culture and the British economy.
Black immigrants began to feel the discrimination that they unknowingly had immigrated themselves into. There was widespread racial discrimination in housing and employment against "Coloureds". With low paying jobs & high unemployment many were too broke to go back.
Many businesses were using a colour bar when hiring, including the Bristol Omnibus Company. "The TGWU in the city had said that if one black man steps on the platform as a conductor, every wheel will stop."
In 1963, Blacks & Asians participated in the Bristol bus boycott.
In 1963, Blacks & Asians participated in the Bristol bus boycott.
In 1964 while on his way to receive the Nobel Peace Prize Martin Luther King stopped in London. After making a speech Martin met with a group of Black activists. Activists from this meeting organized the Campaign against Racial Discrimination(CARD) in Britain.
Also 1964 Peter Griffiths of the conservative party was elected on the slogan “If you want a nigger for a neighbour, vote Labour party." After the election a small British branch of the Ku Klux Klan was formed. Black residents had burning crosses put through their letterboxes
In 1965 the Race Relations Act was passed. It was the first legislation in the UK to address racial discrimination. It made it illegal to discriminate based on race in public places. However, it did not cover housing or employment discrimination & was not enforced often
The civil rights movement was in decline in America and Britain. More people began to pay attention to Malcolm X & Black nationalists. Malcolm made a speech at the Commonwealth Institute. In the crowd was a petty criminal named Michael De Freitas
Michael was inspired by the speech Malcolm made. 4 weeks later Malcolm X was assassinated. Michael created the Racial Adjustment Action Society(RAAS) under the name Michael X
In 1967 the National Front was founded in the United Kingdom. The National Front is a political party that wanted to put an end to Black immigration into the UK.
In response, the black pride movement over in America became very attractive to terrorized black people in Britain. Groups like the Black Panther Party taught black people to love themselves and defend themselves in the face of oppression.
Stokely Carmichael is the man who made the term "Black Power" popular in America. In July 1967 he visited London. He met with the United Coloured People’s Association(UCPA) that was made a month earlier. After Carmichael's visit, the British Black Panther movement was established
Black power groups began establishing in the UK under similar goals of the Black Panthers in America: Self-love, equal housing, equal employment, adequate healthcare, proper education, & self defense. Black power activists sought to provide these things for black communities.
Supplementary schools were a very important part of the Black Power movement in Britain. Saturday schools were set up by black power groups to give black children the attention they were not receiving in the public school system.
In 1968, Enoch Powell made a speech that would later become known as the "Rivers of Blood" speech. He spoke harshly and bluntly about putting an end to brown & black immigration into the United Kingdom.
Even though Powell was soon removed from the Conservative cabinet his popularity grew quickly. There were public displays of support for Enoch Powell, such as the marches of hundreds of dock workers & Smithfield meat porters to the House of Parliament.
The government's racism grew going into the 70s. Police began heavily enforcing "sus laws". Sus laws allowed police to arrest anyone they thought had the intent of committing a crime. Young black men were arrested, charged and convicted simply for walking down the street.
In 1971 a new Immigration Act was passed which put very tight restrictions on who was allowed in. White immigrants were often given exemptions from these restrictions and ministers saw it as 'defensible'.
The British government looked to America to figure out how to deal with it's "black power problem".
In America, Black Panther members were being spied on by the FBI, arrested, & being charged with long sentences. Britain soon followed these tactics also.
In America, Black Panther members were being spied on by the FBI, arrested, & being charged with long sentences. Britain soon followed these tactics also.
Starting in 1969 and continuing into the 70s the police targeted the Mangrove Restaurant, Notting Hill, in west London. This restaurant was a popular meeting place for black youth. It was repeatedly raided by police over and over again looking for drugs and none were found.
On August 9, 1970, the Black Power movement staged a protest against the police raids of the Mangrove restaurant. 150 people marched to the local police station. Fights between police & protesters broke out. 9 weeks later, protesters were arrested & charged with inciting a riot.
A few members of the Mangrove 9 represented themselves. The trial lasted 55 days. All were cleared of the main charge: inciting a riot. The judge said the trial had "regrettably shown evidence of racial hatred". It was the 1st judicial acknowledgement of Police racism
In March 1972, only 3 months after the Mangrove trial, 4 young Fasimbas members were arrested at London's Oval Underground Station. They each served eight months of a two-year prison sentence for allegedly assaulting a police officer and stealing handbags.
April 1972, Tony Soares, the leader of the Black Liberation Front was put on trial for reprinting the recipe for a Molotov cocktail from the US Black Panther Party's newspaper in the BLF's newspaper.
By May 1972, prosecutions had been brought against members of all of the main Black Power groups in London. During Tony Soares trial, Detective Sergeant Westacott confirmed that it was in fact his duty in the Special Branch to investigate black political organizations.
Towards the late 70s, many British Black Power groups ceased to function. However, they left behind plenty for future generations like London's Biggest Parade.
Michael X, who was mentioned earlier, was instrumental in setting up the first Notting Hill Carnival in 1966.
Michael X, who was mentioned earlier, was instrumental in setting up the first Notting Hill Carnival in 1966.
The fight against racism & police brutality continued well into the 80s, 90s, 2000s, and continues today #BlackLivesMatter 
To find out what was happening at the same time in America click on this thread: https://twitter.com/RealMikeM/status/1266910553357848583?s=19
