The History Hotline

This week I am joined by Orisha, creator of The Reader's Collection. We discuss African American literature and the portrayal of 'Blackness' across several texts by authors and poets such as: Maya Angelou, Ralph Ellison, Octavia Butler, Toni Morrison and James Baldwin.

Our conversation goes from the representation of Black masculinity and fatherhood to the portrayal of women and how Black authors have subverted these narratives.

Ira Aldridge often remembered as a Black Briton was an American born actor that moved to Britain aged 17 to peruse his dreams of acting. He took to theatre stages across Europe wowing audiences. He is most widely known for his role of Othello but he took on a range of roles across many genres. Whilst the critics were hostile, audiences loved him. His acting career highlighting 19th Century expectations for Black people in society and on stage.

In this episode we going back to WWII, over 2 million US service personnel passed through the British isles during WWII. Whilst the American's acclimatised to the British way of life, their mannerisms and personalities. The British welcomed them and their contribution to the war effort, but also welcomed the racial prejudice, colour bar and Jim Crow laws they were so fond of... especially in the Southern States. This led to racial tensions and 'The Battle of Bamber Bridge' in Lancashire, 1943 . One of the many race riots between African-American soldiers and white commanding officers and military police, we discuss in this episode.

On the 12th February 1965, Malcolm X visited the infamous Marshall Street in Smethwick, Birmingham. Invited by the Indian Worker's Association to come and see witness the forced segregation in the areas pubs and other social settings. Marshall Street, was the street that was meant to be kept for 'whites only'. Faced with growing racial tension over immigration, a the conservative led council with MP Peter Griffiths at the helm decided, it would buy up any properties that came onto the market and let or sell them to white families only. In comes Malcolm X to witness the sorry state of affairs, only 9 days before he was assassinated.

In commemoration of the 40th anniversary of The New Cross Fire on 18th January 1981... This week's episode will look at the fire and place it into the context of race relations in Britain in the 1980s.

The fire led to the tragic deaths of 14 young Black people, after a fire broke out at 439 New Cross Road during the early hours of a 16th birthday party. Whilst inquests have ruled the fires cause unknown, the aftermath illuminated just how little British society cared about Black lives. An important message for us to understand in the era of the BLM movement, as we honour those lives lost in the fire by educating ourselves on what occurred that night and in the following days, months and even years.

Articles mentioned:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/jan/15/how-the-new-cross-fire-became-a-rallying-cry-for-political-action

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/may/15/race.london

Documentaries mentioned:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThykFdpuFkA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0WnoGdTkqw

This week we'll be exploring the Christmas breakfast staple in any Jamaican household and Jamaica's national dish: Ackee and Saltfish. Its improbable history takes us on a journey along the triangular trade route, from West Africa to Northern Europe and finally the tropic climates of Jamaica. The dish embodies the nation full of 'pieces that don’t seem to fit together,' but somehow work.

This week we're looking at the Brockwell Three, the creation of Black Sac and the collective protests against another incidence of police injustice, upheld by the legal system. We'll be exploring this within the context of the racial injustice system in the US with reference to Brandon Bernard and the impact of this on how we view capital punishment.

In line with Victorian standards of beauty, the idealised artistic muse, was white and pale skinned. But Jamaican Fanny Eaton (c.1835-1924) was one of the most influential muses to the Pre-Raphaelites during the 19th Century. Eaton came to Britain as a child only a few years after the abolition of slavery in the British colonies and went on to model for some of the most influential artists of the period. This episode will explore her life and her legacy.

Following on from the third instalment from Steve McQueen's Small Axe series: Red, White and Blue. This episode continues the story of Leroy Logan, a Black police officer, who made it his mission to fight racial inequality from within. We'll explore the policing of Black communities, the racism he faced, and his work fighting for racial equality.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000pzmb/small-axe-series-1-red-white-and-blue

The history of immigration, exploring the acts dating back to 1905. We also have a special guest Hannah Gaffey recent Cambridge masters graduate who has conducted research on the experiences of asylum seekers and refugees in Britain. We explore the systemic and historical failings of the home office and how politics, the media and public opinion influence immigration policy.