Black Voices In Conversation

In 1980, at the age of 19, Alex Williams became the first black goalkeeper in the top flight of English football when he pulled on the No 1 shirt for Manchester City.

Alex spoke to ITV Granada's Jahmal Williams-Thomas about racism he faced from the stands and about his work for Manchester City's community programme, inspiring young people through sport.

ITV Central's Pablo Taylor sat down with Reverend Eve Pitts of the Holy Trinity Church in Birmingham to talk about her life and journey to becoming Britain's first female Caribbean vicar.

Reverend Eve moved to the UK from Jamaica in the 1960s to live with her mother in Nottingham. At the time the city wasn't as diverse as it is today, so the Black community stuck together - 'safety in numbers,' as she says.

Racism has followed Eve throughout her life, as she tells Pablo, whether it be people shouting expletives from cars, police storming her youth club with a dog, or through a lack of career opportunities.

In 1989, she became Britain’ first female Caribbean vicar and in 2009 was appointed to serve the Holy Trinity Church. She has been a trailblazer in promoting equal rights for women and tackling racial injustice.

ITV Meridian’s Nia Mason speaks with playwright, musician, Olu Rowe, about how he was adopted and raised by a white family in Portsmouth in the 1970s.

He recently wrote the play "Keep on Moving" based on his experiences and upbringing; the play begins on the moment he was almost run over.

Shaun Campbell first heard the name Arthur Wharton thirteen years ago while giving a talk for Black History Month in Middlesbrough. He could barely believe what he was hearing - that the first black professional footballer in the world made his debut for Darlington.

Shaun talks to ITV Tyne Tees' Tafadzwa Mudiwa about setting up the Arthur Wharton Foundation, with the help of former Middlesbrough FC captain George Boateng - and, remarkably, musician Stevie Wonder. At the heart of the campaign was Campbell's desire to ensure that a fitting tribute was paid to Wharton, who he describes as "the original pioneer and trailblazer for everybody of colour in football, rugby, cricket and cycling".

In 2014, a statue of Wharton was erected at St George's Park - the home of English football.

Campbell says: "I couldn't understand why he'd never been properly celebrated and why he seemingly was almost written out of history".

ITV’s Lola Lawal speaks with student activist and podcaster Angel Arutura to talk about how she was born and raised in Northern Ireland, but struggled with issues of identity until finding the confidence to embrace her Zimbabwean heritage in a predominantly white country.

The 20-year-old grew up feeling like she did not belong, but now wants to encourage others to not be afraid to speak up, challenge racism and to be proud of who they are.

ITV West Country journalist Alpha Ceesay sat down with former footballer and manager, Leroy Rosenior MBE to discuss his fight for racial equality on and off the pitch.

Leroy is using his experiences of abuse and discrimination over the course of 40 years in the game to ensure future generations of black British footballers do not suffer as he did.

"I realised early on that if I wanted to have a professional career I would not just have to put up with racism, I would have to learn to handle it," Leroy says.

When Leroy did eventually hang up his boots, he moved into coaching and then management, with spells at Bristol City and Gloucester City before ending up at Torquay United.

At the time, Leroy was one of only a handful of black managers in the English game. The importance of speaking out against the discrimination he faced during this era would only dawn on him after his time as a manager.

Irene Afful talks to ITV Granada's Jahmal Williams-Thomas about her battles against prejudice, as a black woman rising through the ranks of the police.

Irene grew up in the Toxteth area of Liverpool, witnessing as a child the riots which took place in 1981.

Ten years later she joined Merseyside Police aiming to be a 'force for change'.

ITV West Country journalist Alpha Ceesay sat down with Sandra Gordon - one of Bristol's few black magistrates - to talk about the importance of being a role model and working to be the change you want to see.

She is an activist, magistrate, radio presenter and more all rolled into one. All with the same goal in mind - to create a fairer and more equal society.

Misan Harriman made history this year after becoming the first black man in British Vogue's 104 year history to shoot the front cover. It's an achievement made even more remarkable when you find out he only picked up a camera three years ago.

Speaking to ITV News London's Antoine Allen, Misan says Britain could see a black Prime Minister "in our lifetime" after a year of activism which he documented on camera.

Diane Modahl MBE, who won 800m gold in the Commonwealth Games in 1990, speaks to ITV Granada's Jahmal Williams-Thomas about her life and career.
Diane grew up on an estate in Longsight, Manchester, the youngest of seven children, in a 'beautiful family, full of Jamaican culture and love". At the peak of her career, a flawed laboratory process led to her failing a drugs test and she was wrongly banned from competition.
Diane tells Jahmal about the racism she encountered as she successfully battled to clear her name.
Since retiring from competitive sport, Diane set up the Diane Modahl Sports Foundation, a registered charity which works with young people from disadvantaged areas across the North West, enabling them to make the most of themselves in sport, school and life.