Abstract
1945 Fifth Pan-African Congress, in Manchester
1947 Partition of India
1948 Nationality Act • arrival of SS Empire Windrush
1957 Indian Workers’ Association, Southall branch formed
1958 Anti-black riots in Nottingham and Notting Hill • Institute of Race Relations inaugurated • launch of The West Indian Gazette and Afro-Asian Caribbean News
1959 Racist murder of Kelso Cochrane • first Caribbean Carnival in UK
1962 First act restricting New Commonwealth immigration
1963 Bristol bus boycott
1964 Martin Luther King visits UK • racist electioneering in Smethwick • Campaign Against Racial Discrimination (CARD) created
1965 First Race Relations Act, setting up NCCI and Race Relations Board • bussing of Asian schoolchildren introduced • Malcolm X visits UK and Racial Action Adjustment Society emerges
1966 Caribbean Artists’ Movement formed • strike at R Woolfs rubber factory
1967 Universal Coloured People’s Association established • National Front formed • Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants founded
1968 Commonwealth Immigrants Act passed • Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech • meat porters and Dockers march in support of Powell • Black People’s Alliance formed • Race Relations Act passed
1970 Arrest of the Mangrove Nine protesting at police brutality • racist murder of Tosir Ali in Tower Hamlets
1971 Creation of Bangladesh • Immigration Act ends primary immigration to UK
1972 Expelled Ugandan Asians arrive in UK • series of strikes begins in East Midlands, including at Mansfield Hosiery and Imperial Typewriters • Tony Soares, editor of Grassroots, prosecuted • IRR: ‘The old order changeth …’
1974 Student Kevin Gately killed during anti-fascist demonstration in central London
1975 Anti-fascist magazine Searchlight launched by Maurice Ludmer
1976 Gurdip Singh Chaggar murdered in Southall by racists • Southall Youth Movement formed • youth confront police at Notting Hill Carnival • strike begins at Grunwick film processing plant
1977 Virk brothers arrested for self-defence • ‘Battle of Lewisham’ • Anti-Nazi League formed
1978 Margaret Thatcher’s ‘swamping’ speech • Judge McKinnon rules on Kingsley Read pronouncement • Organisation of Women of Asian and African Descent formed • Black People Against State Harassment founded
1979 342 charged following police ‘siege’ of Southall, Blair Peach killed by member of Special Patrol Group • revelation that virginity tests carried out by immigration control officers at Heathrow
1981 Black People’s Day of Action following New Cross Fire • riots in Bristol, Brixton, Southall, Liverpool, Manchester etc. • Broadwater Farm Youth Association formed • ‘Sus’ law abolished • Scarman report ushers in ‘ethnic’ policies
1983 Creation of Black Sections in Labour Party
1985 Cynthia Jarrett dies, riot on Broadwater Farm, PC Blakelock killed • Newham 7 trial at the Old Bailey
1987 Special Patrol Group disbanded