The History Hotline

In this episode I am joined by Perry Blankson. Perry is a columnist for Tribune magazine and a project coordinator at the Young Historians Project, working to encourage the development of young historians of African and Caribbean descent. He is also a member of the Editorial Working Group for the History Matters Journal.We reflected on the Sewell report 2 years on, British state surveillance of Black power leaders, Black life in the archives and Perry's contributions to The History Matters Journal and Tribune Magazine. Read the latest issue of the History Matters Journal here: https://www.historymatters.online/journalFor more updates on the History Matters Journal: https://twitter.com/MattersHistoryhttps://www.instagram.com/historymatters_journal/Perry Blankson: https://twitter.com/periuspb Perry's work: https://tribunemag.co.uk/author/perry-blanksonContact Us: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.In part 2, we'll be exploring his contribution to the Chartist movement and the 1848 demonstration that led to him being transported to Tasmania.Socials and Links: https://linktr.ee/thehistoryhotlineGiveaway: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqDGYgJoYiz/ (closing date: 4th April 2023)Host: Deanna Lyncook Researcher: Zakiyyah Riaz

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/thehistoryhotlineGiveaway: 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/thehistoryhotlineGiveaway: 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.aspxhttps://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/journalFor 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-GBTionne's work: https://www.listeninghousemedia.com/product-page/abolish-all-prisons-examining-the-rootsContact 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 MorrisonAfter 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 Nichols2) Racist hair policy's at a Birmingham secondary school3) 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-officehttps://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-oluwaleOlivia 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.Brief historyThe royal visit to JamaicaWhat next?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.Early life and education The assault by the metropolitan policeA life of activism Housing campaigns and squatting 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 CongressThe Dialectics of Liberation CongressImpact of the SpeechEndingsArticles 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-53599https://twitter.com/ajplus/status/1254284069040459776https://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 asylum4) The infamous clause 95) 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?