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"I wanted to be at the forefront of the beat that would storm the world." The renowned musician talks about how reggae became the sound of resistance in the UK. How did reggae become the sound of resistance in the UK? In this RA Exchange, the influential Barbados-born guitarist, bass player and record producer Dennis Bovell talks about moving to South London aged 12 and navigating its tense racial and musical landscape. Through the music he wrote and produced, he responded directly to racist rhetoric and colonialist attitudes rocking the UK. After the arrival of the Empire Windrush ship in June 1948—which brought a generation of Caribbean people over to rebuild post-war Britain—the UK experienced new social pressures as the diaspora assimilated to their new lives. But London also became a melting pot of creative and cultural diversity. Reggae became resistance music, and artists like Bovell became bandleaders. Bovell speaks with writer and musician Tony Nwachukwu about music as social commentary, especially in his reggae band Matumbi, which was intentionally provocative, aiming to challenge the status quo and give voice to the Black British experience through its lyrics, themes and messaging. Matumbi was critical in developing the British reggae sound, and Bovell went on to record other musical projects that were key in shaping the early days of reggae, dub and lover's rock. He also reflects on his time engineering for artists in different scenes, like the German electronic duo Saâda Bonaire, the Japanese band Yellow Magic Orchestra and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Bovell's unique ability to bring together different musical styles at the peripheries of dub made him a highly sought-after collaborator with a knack for navigating delicate dynamics in the industry, especially for Black artists. Listen to the episode in full. -Chloe Lula
In this episode we celebrate the 76th anniversary of the Empire Windrush's 1948 arrival in Britain. We explore the Windrush generation's contributions to post-war Britain, despite facing severe racism and hardships as well as the legacy of the Windrush generation and their impact on Black British Culture.
The Empire Windrush brought 800 Caribbean immigrants to Britain in 1948.But have you heard the whole story about this ship?German Naval Vessel, British troopship and Holocaust vessel...Get My NewsletterSupport the show
Vi voglio parlare di una delle sottoculture più demonizzate e incomprese del Regno Unito, il movimento Skinhead, emerso alla fine degli anni '60 attraverso un incredibile incontro tra la cultura della classe operaia bianca e i migranti appena arrivati con la Empire Windrush dalle Indie occidentali. Stanchi delle vuote promesse del movimento hippie e dell'austerità che pervadeva il governo britannico, gli skinhead emersero nella Londra degli anni '60 e si radunarono attorno a una cosa: indossare il loro status di classe operaia come punto di orgoglio.
Writer and photographer Johny Pitts captures everyday experiences from Black communities around the British coast, bringing together the sights, sounds, and sofas shared from Liverpool to London, in his touring installation, Home is Not a Place. In 2021, Johny Pitts and the poet Roger Robinson set off on a journey clockwise around the British coast, to answer the question: 'What is Black Britain?' Their collaboration, Home is Not is Place, captures contemporary, everyday experiences of Blackness between Edinburgh and Belfast, Liverpool and Tilbury, where the Empire Windrush docked in 1948. Setting out from London, the multidisciplinary artist challenges the ‘Brixtonisation' of Black experiences, and binary media representations of Black excellence, or criminality. Johny shares stories of migration, how Brexit and COVID changed his perceptions of local environments, and archive albums from his own childhood in multicultural, working-class Sheffield. Flicking through shots of Yorkshire puddings and Mount Fuji, we find his travels-past in 1980s bubble-era Japan. And in his Living Room, we sit down to discuss Afropean, inspirations like James Baldwin, Paul Gilroy, and Caryl Phillips, plus his sister Chantal's pirate radio playlists, and the role of family and community in his practice. Johny Pitts: Home is Not a Place runs at The Photographers' Gallery in London until 24 September 2023. Join the Gallery this Thursday (7 September), and next, for special exhibition tours and artist talks. For more, you can read my article in gowithYamo. For more about Autograph, hear artist Ingrid Pollard's EMPIRE LINES on Carbon Slowly Turning (2022): https://pod.link/1533637675/episode/e00996c8caff991ad6da78b4d73da7e4 WITH: Johny Pitts, photographer, writer, and broadcaster from Sheffield, England. He is the curator of the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) award-winning Afropean.com, and the author of Afropean: Notes from Black Europe (2021). ART: ‘Home is Not a Place, Johny Pitts and Roger Robinson (2021-Now)'. PRODUCER: Jelena Sofronijevic. Follow EMPIRE LINES on Twitter: twitter.com/jelsofron/status/1306563558063271936 And Instagram: instagram.com/empirelinespodcast Support EMPIRE LINES on Patreon: patreon.com/empirelines
In the first episode of our exploration into "Roots and Culture" by Eddie Chambers, we delve into the history of Black Britain from 1948 to 1989. This period witnessed a profound shift in Britain's cultural, social, and racial landscape, marked by the arrival of the Windrush Generation in 1948 and culminating with the end of the 1980s.In this episode, we navigate the complex tapestry of Black British history, charting the experiences, struggles, and triumphs of Black communities within Britain. We delve into the intricate web of immigration, systemic racism, cultural heritage, and identity formation that defines this era.The tale unfolds with the arrival of the Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks, bringing the first large group of Caribbean migrants to the UK. This pivotal moment marked the beginning of significant Black immigration to Britain, shaping the multicultural society we know today.Throughout the subsequent decades, Black Britons forged a space for themselves in the face of adversity, enriching Britain with their unique culture, talents, and resilience. Despite persistent challenges, their legacy resonates in every facet of British society – from music and arts to politics and sports.Join us as we journey through this dynamic period in history, unveiling the vibrant and often overlooked narrative of Black Britain. The lessons learnt from this saga of resilience and cultural revolution hold vital importance for our understanding of modern Britain. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/explaininghistory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell talks to Sunday, days after the Church of England sacked its Independent Safeguarding Board. William Crawley hears from one of those sacked, Jasvinder Sanghera, and from Jane Chevous from Survivors Voices. How much is your vicar worth? Some Anglican clergy are calling for a pay rise of 9.5% to help them manage the increased cost of living. How does the package for clergy compare with other professions and what is a fair rate of pay in the current climate? This week Britain has been celebrating 75 years since the Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury, carrying people from the Carribean. They were the first of many people who were invited to Britain to help rebuild the country after the war. Barbara Blake Hannah was among the Windrush Generation. She became the first black TV news reporter in the UK, but suffered racism. The experience led her to return to Jamaica and to take up the Rastafari religion. It's been called the biggest consultation in human history. A global survey of Roman Catholics has generated a diverse range of subjects which will be discussed at the next Synod in Rome. They include LGBTQ+ inclusion, married priests, and female deacons. For the first time, the Synod will include laymen and women, as well as Bishops. We hear why the process is so significant and consider how it could affect the future of the church. Producers: Catherine Murray and Louise Clarke Presenter: William Crawley Editor: Jonathan Hallewell Studio Managers: Helen Williams and Phillip Halliwell
Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History stories. Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, a fighter pilot in the Somali air force defied orders to bomb civilians in 1988. Explaining more about the Somali civil war and its legacy is BBC Monitoring's regional analyst Beverly Ochieng. Also, the demonstrations in East Germany that triggered martial rule in 1953. From the archive, Sam King recalls arriving in England on the Empire Windrush in 1948, one of 802 pioneering Caribbean migrants. Plus, the 1994 raid on a gay nightclub in Melbourne, Australia, where more than 400 people were strip-searched and detained. Finally, in 1971 Alan Shepard, the commander of Apollo 14 became the first and only person to play golf on the moon. Contributors: Ahmed Mohamed Hassan on being a fighter pilot in the Somali air force Beverly Ochieng, BBC Monitoring's Horn Of Africa analyst Helmut Strecker on his recollections of the protests in East Germany Sam King on the Empire Windrush Gary Singer on the raid of Tasty nightclub Laura Shepard Churchley on her father Commander Alan Shepard
On Thursday, the UK celebrated the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush which made the 5,000 mile journey from the Caribbean to England in 1948. The passengers were mainly made up of ex-servicemen along with over 200 bold, pioneering women. Veteran nurse and founder of the Windrush Cymru Elders, Roma Taylor, former nurse Allyson Williams and journalist Amina Taylor join Nuala to discuss their experiences of leaving home to help rebuild Britain after WWII. As visitors walk through the doors of the newly reopened National Portrait Gallery in London, they will see 45 hand-drawn portraits of women by British artist Tracey Emin, that have been cast in bronze. They are said to represent every woman. Tracey speaks to Krupa Padhy about her creative process and what she hopes people will take away from the images. Professor Irene Tracey is only the second ever female Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford. In the last few weeks she has had to deal with several angry protests in Oxford over the appearance of Kathleen Stock at the Oxford Union. She allowed the talk to go ahead, saying, ‘we have to defend free speech'. Professor Tracey joins Nuala to talk about the battle over free speech, as well as what it's like being a woman in the world of academia. Comedian Bridget Christie's stand-up has been credited with putting the funny in feminism. You might know her from Taskmaster or Ghosts. Now she's created and stars in a comedy drama called The Change, which starts this week on Channel 4. She plays Linda, a woman who turns 50, discovers she's menopausal and abandons her family to go off and find herself in the Forest of Dean. Bridget joins Nuala in studio. Nuala McGovern talks to Rosa Abraham & Rituparna Chakraborty about the fact that nearly half of the population in India is female, but the number of working women has fallen to record lows. For the first time ever, Woman's Hour broadcast live from Glastonbury. Four time Grammy nominee and folk legend Allison Russell joined Anita live for a very special performance. Alongside being a singer and songwriter Allison is a poet, an activist and a multi-instrumentalist. Fresh from performing alongside the one and only Joni Mitchell earlier this month she is at Glastonbury, performing on The Acoustic Stage. Presenter: Krupa Padhy Producer: Hanna Ward Studio Engineer: Bob Nettles
The Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury in England on 22 June 1948 with 802 people on board from the Caribbean. The former passenger liner's arrival on that misty June day is now regarded as the symbolic starting point of a wave of Caribbean migration between 1948 and 1971 known as the "Windrush generation". Sam King was one of the passengers. He describes to Alan Johnston the conditions on board and the concerns people had about finding jobs in England. In this programme first broadcast in 2011, Sam also talks about what life was like in their adopted country once they arrived. (Photo: Empire Windrush at Tilbury docks in 1948. Credit: Daily Herald Archive/SSPL/Getty Images)
Kate Adie introduces stories from North Korea, Canada, Guinea-Bissau, Peru and Jamaica. North Korea sealed its borders when the pandemic struck, and little news from the isolated, oppressive state has leaked out since. The BBC's Jean Mackenzie, with Daily NK, an organisation with sources inside North Korea, has managed to make contact with North Koreans who reveal lives defined by fear - and the growing threat of starvation. Canada is on course for its worst year for wildfires on record. Unusually, there have been many blazes in Quebec - a province not used to wildfires, and which subsequently lacks the specialist firefighters needed to tame forest fires. Nadine Yousif hears how they're already exhausted - and it's still only June. Guinea-Bissau is a major hub for drug traffickers from South America transporting drugs to Europe - and this has fuelled high levels of addiction to crack cocaine. Yet the country has only two drug rehab centres - one of them run by a Pentecostal pastor, who claims to cure addiction through prayer. Sam Bradpiece paid a a visit, and found evidence of staff cruelty and residents being chained to bars and cages. Peru has become the world's largest exporter of blueberries - a fruit native to the northern hemisphere, where it thrives in colder temperatures. So how do they grow it in tropical Peru? Stefania Gozzer has been to a blueberry plantation along Peru's arid Pacific coast to find out. The Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury in Essex 75 years ago. On board were 802 people from the Caribbean, who had made the voyage to find better jobs, and build a better life - but the Windrush Generation also faced hostility and prejudice. Horatio Clare recently visited Jamaica, and found that amid the warm welcomes was a demand for a different relationship between the UK and its former colony. Presenter: Kate Adie Producer: Arlene Gregorius Production Coordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Photo: painting of the sealed border of North Korea. Copyright BBC.
The Art Newspaper's editor, Alison Cole, and London correspondent, Martin Bailey, join our host Ben Luke to review the National Portrait Gallery after its £41m revamp. We talk to Nancy Ireson at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia about the exhibition William Edmondson: A Monumental Vision. Edmondson was the first African American artist to have a solo show at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in the 1930s, but has rarely been shown in museums on the US East Coast since. And this episode's Work of the Week marks the 75th anniversary of the arrival in the UK of the Empire Windrush, a boat carrying passengers from the Caribbean. Zinzi Minott, the choreographer and artist, has made a film called Fi Dem about the Windrush on this anniversary every year since 2017. She tells us about the latest iteration, which is at the heart of a new exhibition at Queercircle in London.The National Portrait Gallery is open now. Yevonde: Life and Colour, until 15 October.William Edmondson: A Monumental Vision, Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia, 25 June-10 September.Zinzi Minott's Fi Dem VI is part of her exhibition Many Mikl Mek Ah Mukl, Queercircle, London, until 27 August. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury in England on 22 June 1948 with 802 people on board from the Caribbean. The former passenger liner's arrival on that misty June day is now regarded as the symbolic starting point of a wave of Caribbean migration between 1948 and 1971 known as the "Windrush generation". Sam King was one of the passengers. He describes to Alan Johnston the conditions on board and the concerns people had about finding jobs in England. In this programme first broadcast in 2011, Sam also talks about what life was like in their adopted country once they arrived. (Photo: Empire Windrush at Tilbury docks in 1948. Credit: Daily Herald Archive/SSPL/Getty Images)
It's the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks in Essex - the ship that brought some of the first post-war migrants to the UK from the Caribbean to fill labour shortages. But years later, many were deemed illegal immigrants and were detained - or deported. The government launched a process to issue them with official documents alongside a compensation scheme. So why are so many still waiting for money? And will the victims of the Windrush scandal ever get justice?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes. Guests: Matt Dathan, home affairs editor, The Times. Janet McKay-Williams, Windrush activist.Sairah Javed, solicitor at The Joint Council for The Welfare Of Immigrants.Host: Manveen Rana.Clips: London Is The Place For Me, Trinidadian Calypso In London, 1950-1956, Honest Jon's Records, 2003; ITV; Better Health Families; Channel 4; 5 News; The Guardian; BBC; CNN. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The US Coastguard confirms that debris found near the wreck of the Titanic is that of the missing tourist submersible. All five occupants are dead. We hear from a friend of two of them. Also in the programme: the impact of the half a percentage point interest rate rise on homeowners; and 75 years since the first docking of the Empire Windrush bringing West Indians to work in the UK.
This episode is a special 75th Windrush celebration. In the 1940's Britain was just starting to recover from World War II and needed rebuilding.And so, after the war, lots of these people came over to Britain to live and work.They got on a ship - the Empire Windrush - which left the Caribbean to travel thousands of miles across the Atlantic ocean.It was 22 June 1948 when the Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks in Essex. This was the first time so many Caribbean people had come to live in Britain. Many more arrived in the following 20 years.So now, on the 75th anniversary of the Empire windrush arriving on our shores, An estimated 500,000 people now living in the UK who arrived between 1948 and 1971 from Caribbean countries have been called the Windrush generation.In this special episode, talkSPORT's Mya Graham explores three different football related windrush stories. Luther Blissett, Darren Moore and Viv Anderson. Unique in their own way but all binded by their shared windrush link. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The journey of the Empire Windrush that docked in Essex with 1,027 passengers & at least two stowaways on 21st June 1948 has come to define a whole generation of people who arrived in Britain for two decades from the Caribbean until the 1970s. The 802 Caribbean citizens onboard were the first of 500,000 Commonwealth citizens who settled in Britain having been invited to help rebuild the "mother country". Despite having equal rights to British citizenship most faced discrimination, prejudice and abuse. Many had fought for Britain in the war just years earlier and yet when they arrived were often denied jobs, housing and access to public spaces like pubs and dancehalls. But communities among new settlers thrived, arrivals brought with them a rich heritage that shaped British culture from music and literature to food and sport. Communities pooled their resources to buy houses, set up community centres, services and support networks and fought for the rights they were promised.In 2018, the rights of the Windrush Generation entered the news again when they and their descendants became the targets of mistreatment by the UK government, resulting in the denial of their rights, deportation threats, and significant harm to their lives and communities. Dan is joined for the 75th anniversary of Windrush Day by Dr Juanita Cox, who is a research fellow on Nationality, Identity and Belonging at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies. She unravels the long history of the Windrush Generation, their struggles and impact on Britain and the scandal with help from the voices of that generation themselves, recorded as part of her oral history project, ‘The Windrush Scandal in a Transnational and Commonwealth Context‘.Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more.Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Comedian Bridget Christie's stand-up has been credited with putting the funny in feminism. You might know her from Taskmaster or Ghosts. Now she's created and stars in a comedy drama called The Change, which starts this week on Channel 4. She plays Linda, a woman who turns 50, discovers she's menopausal and abandons her family to go off and find herself in the Forest of Dean. Bridget joins Nuala in studio. On Thursday, the UK will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush which made the 5,000 mile journey from the Caribbean to England in 1948. The passengers were mainly made up of ex-servicemen along with over 200 bold, pioneering women. Veteran nurse and founder of the Windrush Cymru Elders, Roma Taylor, former nurse Allyson Williams and journalist Amina Taylor join Nuala to discuss their experiences of leaving home to help rebuild Britain after WWII. Even if you aren't a fan of the Archers you're probably familiar with the Helen and Rob storyline that featured coercive control and domestic violence back in 2016. Rob, the perpetrator, eventually got his comeuppance and was banished to the US. Now nearly seven years later Rob has returned. Joining Nuala to talk about the latest twists and turns is the actor who plays Helen, Louiza Patikas.
Reporters, cameras, speeches, and even songs publicised the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush when it docked at Tilbury on June 22, 1948. The ship carried 1,027 people on board, including many passengers from the Caribbean, invited to help rebuild Britain after World War II. In this episode, we're marking the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush through the lens of several unique records held at The National Archives, including the official passenger list. Hosting this episode is Chloe Lee, a Migration and Citizenship Researcher, and she is joined by specialists Iqbal Singh, Lisa Berry-Waite and Vicky Iglikowski-Broad. For a transcript and information about the documents used in this episode visit our show notes: https://bit.ly/WindR75 This episode is part of a season of events and activities to mark the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush on its 75th anniversary. To find out more, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/windrush-75/
The Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks on 22 June 1948 from Jamaica. Front Row marks the artistic and cultural contribution of a generation of people from the Caribbean, now characterised as the Windrush Generation, who arrived then, soon before or in the years following. Samira talks to the Jamaican-born actor and director Anton Phillips about his career, including starring in the cult classic Space 1999 and directing James Baldwin's The Amen Corner in a landmark production on the London stage. Andrea Levy's highly acclaimed 2004 novel Small Island tells the story of four people caught up in the Caribbean migration story and has been adapted for radio, TV and stage. The playwright Patricia Cumper, poet and writer Hannah Lowe and novelist Louise Hare discuss the impact of the book on them and their own writing. The composer Shirley J Thompson OBE talks about how her Jamaican heritage shaped her music making and about composing for the Coronation. And Kevin LeGendre explains the impact of the arrival of calypso and steel pan on the musical life of the nation. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Sarah Johnson
A major new history of Britain that will transform our understanding of this country's past. Despite the best efforts of researchers and campaigners, there remains today a steadfast tendency to reduce the history of African and Caribbean people in Britain to a simple story: it is one that begins in 1948 with the arrival of a single ship, the Empire Windrush, and continues mostly apart from a distinct British history, overlapping only on occasion amid grotesque injustice or pioneering protest. Yet, as acclaimed historian Hakim Adi demonstrates, from the very beginning, from the moment humans first stood on this rainy isle, there have been African and Caribbean men and women set at Britain's heart. Libyan legionaries patrolled Hadrian's Wall while Rome's first 'African Emperor' died in York. In Elizabethan England, 'Black Tudors' served in the land's most eminent households while intrepid African explorers helped Sir Francis Drake to circumnavigate the globe. And, as Britain became a major colonial and commercial power, it was African and Caribbean people who led the radical struggle for freedom—a struggle which raged throughout the twentieth century and continues today in Black Lives Matter campaigns. Charting a course through British history with an unobscured view of the actions of African and Caribbean people, Adi reveals how much our greatest collective achievements—universal suffrage, our victory over fascism, the forging of the NHS—owe to these men and women, and how, in understanding our history in these terms, we are more able to fully understand our present moment.
There remains a tendency to reduce the history of African and Caribbean people in Britain to a simple story: it is one that begins in 1948 with the arrival of a single ship, the Empire Windrush. Yet, from the very beginning, from the moment humans first stood on this rainy isle, there have been African and Caribbean men and women set at Britain's heart.Professor Hakim Adi is the first historian of African heritage to become a professor of history in Britain— he has been researching and writing about the history of African and Caribbean people in Britain for decades. Hakim joins Dan to chart a course through British history with an unobscured view of the actions of African and Caribbean people, sharing the stories of the Africans in Britain during the Roman period, Black Tudors, Stuarts and Victorians, and shedding light on the Windrush Myth.This episode was produced by Hannah Ward and edited by Dougal Patmore.If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe to History Hit today!To download the History Hit app please go to the Android or Apple store.Complete the survey and you'll be entered into a prize draw to win 5 Historical Non-Fiction Books- including a signed copy of Dan Snow's 'On This Day in History'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Yolanda find's out what life in Britain was like for the people who emigrated to Britain on the Empire Windrush and the later ships.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
MV Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks in London carrying 492 West Indian ...
This heart-warming and heartfelt debut picture book from multi-award-winning author, Patrice Lawrence, will help ensure that the struggles and achievements of the Windrush generation are never forgotten.One day, Ava is asked to dress as an inspirational figure for assembly at school, but who should she choose? Granny suggests famous familiar figures such as Winifred Atwell, Mary Seacole and Rosa Parks, and tells Ava all about their fascinating histories, but Ava's classmates have got there first – and she must choose someone else. But who?And then Ava finds a mysterious old suitcase – Granny's “grip” – and Granny begins to share her own history, and how she came to England on the Empire Windrush many years ago. She tells her story through the precious items that accompanied her on the original voyage, each one evoking a memory of home, and as Ava listens to how Granny built a life for herself in England, determined to stay against the odds and despite overwhelming homesickness, she realises that there is a hero very close to home that she wants to celebrate more than anyone – her very own brave and beloved granny.Find out more about Stories Aloud: https://nosycrow.com/stories-aloud/
Lord Kitchener (real name Aldwyn Roberts) was one of the most famous and influential calypsonians of all time. He sang a song on the actual Empire Windrush ship when it docked in Tilbury on the 22nd June 1948 and wrote many songs which tell us more about what life was like for him and other Black people in England at that time. The Why Music Podcast is a podcast for kids and young people to learn about different musicians and music through history! All episodes are written, recorded, and produced by Nate Holder. www.thewhybooks.co.uk
February is the month for celebrating Black History in the USA. In this podcast episode Tracy continues with her virtual visit across 'the Pond' with her very first interview. The interview was recorded on New Year's Day on the 'Facing Purpose Radio Show' in the US hosted by Elder Lakia Barnett. In this the second part of this interview, Tracy shares what inspired her to create the multi-media platform that is ‘Stories to be tolled' reveals the one thing that the stories couldn't do without and what is the ‘ultimate' learning journey for all her users. If you enjoy these podcasts then visit the website https://storiestobetolled.com for more information and join us on our mailing list and receive a free sample of each of the current story titles. At times, small parts of the recording are omitted and so the full transcript is provided below: LB: Hello, hello, hello! We are back from our commercial break with the lovely Ms Tracy Williams all the way from the UK. So Ms Tracy, I was reading in your bio that you have multi-media platforms explain to me about how that works how you kinda started to expand from just being an author to doing other things that you do. TDW: Well, I think the multi-media learning platform is really the educationalist side of me. The stories are the author element of who I am. You know, I spent about 18 months writing the stories, so I was just in a creative writing flow for about 18 months and you know, to be really honest once I had finished the stories Lakia, I had both a sense of elation and achievement but I also had a sense of deflation as well. Because the British Empire has such a lot of moving parts to it, I didn't want the stories to sit in a vacuum. Because once I'd published them it would be ‘Well, who are the stories for?' Who are your target audience? Why have you written them? Ok, I've written them because I've been inspired to write them but there's got to be a proof of concept about it. When I was writing the stories which must have been back in 2017, 2018 there wasn't really that much of a heightened awareness to learn more about the subject of the British Empire, it was very much a taboo subject (to be really honest, if I'm really honest about it). It was an ‘uncomfortable truth' so to speak that nobody really wanted to talk about or look really deeply at. I knew that it was important enough to have a platform and that it should be taught in our schools. It should be read to children at story time or at bed time at home. I just felt that, the stories themselves, although they were good, it couldn't be left in a vacuum there needed to be some context to it so that any learner from 9-14 years and upwards would be able to read and understand but within a context and so that's why I decided to create a learning journey to go with the stories. So, at the back of the stories there are various questions that the learner can then go upon, they can start carrying out their own learning journey, their own research after they've read the story. There's a chronology, so a list of key dates that come up in the actual story and then there's an activity that I call ‘build your vocabulary' because vocabulary is such a difficult thing to learn and to teach. I decided to pick out phrases and words within the stories that children and young people would be able to go off and find out more about and understand how to build their vocabulary and be able to apply that new vocabulary to new learning. I then decided to go a step further and create the learning platform which is initially where everything lives relating to ‘Stories to be tolled' The stories can be purchased there (I'm actually on the website now) and we've got other things like mini-documentaries, which are just like mini films that I've created and learning journeys that continue, are an expansion or a continuation of each of the stories. If you went on the website now and clicked on the ‘learning journey' menu you will see the titles of each of the four books that are out now as well as four new titles that I'm going to be planning to launch this year. If you clicked on to ‘Caribbean Wind' there would come up an alternative chronology, suggestions for biographies, historical sources, You tube videos and I'm developing an art gallery of alternative history. So, there's something for all types of learner and it just feeds into my overall vision for ‘Stories to be tolled' that we can take something that in a lot of ways is a difficult and emotive subject to explore and to learn about and we can deliver it, we can approach it in a way that is both thoughtful, engaging, imaginative, interesting and just to break down some of the taboos about the subject area because I feel when you're ignorant about a subject area, the more you are ignorant the more fearful you are. The more prejudiced you are and the more ignorance there is around the topic and so that is what the multi-media platform is there to do, to help the ordinary person, help the ordinary learner engage and hopefully something on it will spark their interest to continue or develop their own learning journey about whatever aspect of the topic they want to find out about so that was the rationale behind the learning journey and it's growing all the time. It's something that I'm really proud of, its' quite unique. LB: So yes that is really, really interesting you have your background as an educator, a teacher and you're really incorporating these things into everything that you do and it leaves no room for confusion when people see you and they hear about you, they know what you stand for. So when people are getting these books Tracy what do you want the readers to take from this? When they're reading your books what do you want then to learn and take from reading this collection of books? TDW: I think the one thing that I want them to learn about is to understand that the world is multi-faceted, the world is interconnected and it's not interconnected because we have all this technology and we have all these social media platforms. The world is interconnected because this one phenomenon that took place over a period of 400 years is really the key to understanding how the world is today. It's the one thing that can provide that link to a lot of international relationships between countries, the way that countries define their foreign policies with each other. The way that various Diasporas have developed and emerged out of displacement of indigenous people from their home lands. I know that these are difficult subjects to look at but I feel that these are some of the main things that readers need to understand and to learn about as they're reading the stories. I get so many readers saying to me' Tracy I never knew about this or I never knew about that.' ‘I never knew that the Empire Windrush used to be a German Nazi warship that was used in WW2. I never knew anything about the early period of European discovery and how Britain came about its first encounter of the Caribbean.' ‘I didn't know it was a failed colonial exercise carried out by Scotland that caused the unification of Scotland and England.' Many of us seem to think that it was when Elizabeth 1st died and James 6th of Scotland became James 1st of England and united the two countries but stories really do dispel a lot of assertions, a lot of assumptions that ordinary people like myself and like you make about history we are taught at school and then you realise that a lot of it is not necessarily fact, it's just coming from a certain perspective and I thought ‘right, that's my strapline.' That is actually how I got the strapline ‘history is a matter of fact…or perspective?' because there are so many perspectives in history. We only hear about the perspective of the conqueror, of the victor, you never hear of the perspective of those who have gone past and those who have died and are not here to tell their tale. So the stories is that balance of perspective and just lets the reader know ‘look, regardless of what you've been taught in school, regardless of your formal education, quite often it's what we go out and learn for ourselves that helps us have a much more balanced view of the world we live in and a greater tolerance and a greater understanding of why things are the way they are today.' Why there are issues and seemingly unsolved problems in certain parts of the world and more of an empathy for indigenous populations that are going through a tumultuous time because we can then use these stories to really un-pick and understand what the roots of these issues are. So that's what I want readers to take away. (Copyright Tracy D Williams 2022)
An atmospheric and utterly compelling debut novel about a Jamaican immigrant living in postwar London, This Lovely City shows that new arrivals have always been the prime suspects ― but that even in the face of anger and fear, there is always hope. London, 1950. With the war over and London still rebuilding, jazz musician Lawrie Matthews has answered England's call for labour. Arriving from Jamaica aboard the Empire Windrush, he's rented a tiny room in south London and fallen in love with the girl next door. Playing in Soho's jazz clubs by night and pacing the streets as a postman by day, Lawrie has poured his heart into his new home ― and it's alive with possibility. Until one morning, while crossing a misty common, he makes a terrible discovery. As the local community rallies, fingers of blame point at those who were recently welcomed with open arms. And before long, London's newest arrivals become the prime suspects in a tragedy that threatens to tear the city apart. Immersive, poignant, and utterly compelling, Louise Hare's debut examines the complexities of love and belonging, and teaches us that even in the face of anger and fear, there is always hope.
There are over 900 years of immigration records available for research here at The National Archives. Over the next three episodes, we're exploring the rich history of migration in the 20th century. In this episode, we're looking at two different migration experiences shaped by the British Nationality Act of 1948. For our first story, we explore the challenges faced by those arriving in Britain on board the Empire Windrush. We then follow the story of a young man who leaves Pakistan in search of adventure and opportunity. For a transcript and information about the documents used in this episode visit our show notes. Listeners, we need your help to make this podcast better! We need to know a bit more about you and what themes you're interested in. Visit: smartsurvey.co.uk/s/ontherecord/
'The Brandon Estate community mural is huge. On the wall are images of the Chartists, kite-flyers, the Empire Windrush ship arriving from the Caribbean...'The Brandon Estate community mural is huge. On the wall are images of the Chartists, kite-flyers, the Empire Windrush ship arriving from the Caribbean, bee-keepers in white suits, and children scrambling over a woolly mammoth.
The Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury in 1948 bringing migrants from the Caribbean. Their stories have formed a large piece of artwork on one of the original walkways where these citizens stepped foot on British soil for the first time. Artist Evewright - a decendent himself of someone who travelled to Britian on the Windrush - has created the temporary artwork on the 432 panes of glass. He joins Owen in conversation about his work, the insperation behind it and how the journeys made on the Windrush has shapped British history and culture to this day. If you've got a story, Owen would like to hear from you! Email essexbytheseapodcast@gmail.com Join him on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
One of the first Japanese women to come to Britain post-war, Lola Isako Okazaki-Ward, recalls her treacherous journey to Britain on the Empire Windrush in 1954, love at first sight and adopting English culture.
Interview with Professor Paulette Ramsay about her recently republished novel Aunt Jen, and her latest novel Letters Home. Purchase Aunt Jen, Letters Home and the other Contemporary Caribbean Classics on rebelwomenlit.com/shop Our guest Professor Paulette Ramsay, is a Jamaican poet, translator, journalist, novelist, and academic whose debut novel Aunt Jen (2002) is being republished by Hodder Education, along with her latest novel Letters Home (2021) both novels explore the effects of the Empire Windrush era on family-life for Jamaicans living at home and abroad through a complex mother-daughter relationship. Watch the full 2-hour interview with Paulette Ramsay on our Sustaining Members' blog: rebelwomenlit.com/join#sustaining Becoming a sustaining member also helps Rebel Women Lit maintain and grow its work in the literary arts, and fostering its lit community. Follow @RebelWomenLit on Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter & telegram channel: rebelwomenlit.com/newsletters to stay informed on the latest news on classic and contemporary books and what's happening in our literary community.
Hello and welcome to another episode of the Migration & Diaspora Podcast, a show in which we talk about anything and everything to do with migration; with me your host Loksan Harley. Today I have the honour of being joined by Onyekachi Wambu, Executive Director of the African Foundation for Development (AFFORD-UK), to talk about his illustrious career spent engaging African diasporas in support of the African continent's development. Onyekachi has had a distinguished career as a print and broadcast journalist, spending time as a senior producer and documentary director at the BBC and PBS. He has also written extensively himself on Africa and the African diaspora, including authoring the books Empire Windrush – 50 Years of Writing about Black Britain and Under the Tree of Talking – Leadership for Change in Africa. Onyekachi now heads AFFORD-UK, a London-headquartered international NGO with a mission to expand and enhance the contributions of Africans in the diaspora to advance Africa's development. AFFORD-UK is a real pioneer and innovator in the field of diaspora engagement, and their advocacy work has contributed significantly to UK and international recognition of the importance of African diasporas to the continent's development. Onyekachi has also appeared as an expert contributor to numerous migration and diaspora-related high-level panels and forums. Having known Onyekachi for a while now, I relished this opportunity to dig into his background to find out what has driven him to dedicate so much of his career to advocating for African diasporas. After talking about his childhood in post-independence Nigeria and his subsequent migration to the UK, Onyekachi deconstructs the "African diaspora", providing his own conceptual framework to define who they are and to explain the different ways (or "transfers") in which they contribute to the continent. We then talk about the role of AFFORD-UK in engaging diasporas, including some of the work they've done to leverage diaspora interest in contributing their time, skills, money, and more. We close with Onyekachi's insights into the key areas of under-exploited potential in African diaspora engagement, as well as his own lessons learned from many years working at the forefront of this exciting field. I really enjoyed this discussion, as Onyekachi is one of the few people I know who has the vision and wealth of life experience required to draw the linkages between diaspora engagement and broader societal themes of racial injustice and inequality. And it was also great hearing more about AFFORD-UK's work, which has not only fostered the diaspora's contributions to the African continent but has also brought the African diaspora into critical conversations in the UK on the societal issues of our time. I definitely recommend checking out AFFORD's website at afford-uk.org to learn more. And if you want to hear episodes on diaspora engagement, I recommend checking out episodes 2, 4, and 9. As always, thank you very much for listening and I hope you enjoy the show. Useful links AFFORD-UK's website Follow AFFORD-UK on Twitter Want more diaspora episodes? Check out Ep 2 ("Doing diaspora"), Ep 4 (remittances), and Ep 9 (diaspora investment). Subscribe to the Migration & Diaspora Podcast
Join a panel of young creatives to discuss the Black British History that isn't taught in schools, from The Empire Windrush to historical figures like Mary Seacole. What does this lack of representation in British history mean to contemporary generations and what is the impact of being taught such a brief part of Black History? Organised by Creative Youth with Kingston Council's Arts Service, panellists Kayla Cadence, Gemma Orleans-Thompson, Iyata Golding and Myles Cameron will discuss how the arts can be a useful tool in supporting, inspiring and educating future generations.
We present five eyewitness accounts of moments in British black history. Including the late Sam King remembering the voyage of the Empire Windrush, plus Britain's first black headteacher Yvonne Conolly, Dr William Lez Henry on confronting the Far Right in the battle of Lewisham, Reggae star David Hinds on fighting the nightclub colour bar in 1970s Birmingham and Trix Worrell on the creation of the pioneering and hugely popular TV comedy Desmond's. Max Pearson is joined by Colin Grant, the writer, broadcaster and author of Homecoming: Voices of the Windrush Generation. Photo: Newly arrived Jamaican immigrants on board the 'Empire Windrush' at Tilbury, 22nd June 1948: (Douglas Miller/Keystone/Getty Images)
Hundreds of pioneering migrants travelled from the Caribbean to the UK on board the SS Empire Windrush in 1948. The passage cost £28,10 shillings. Passenger Sam King described to Alan Johnston the conditions on board and the concerns people had about finding a job in England. He also talked about what life was like in their adopted country once they arrived. This programme is a rebroadcast Photo: The SS Empire Windrush. Credit:Press Association.
Peter Shimmin is a Reader in the Anglican Parish of the Northern Plain. He often finds that life with his faithful dog Jacko has strong parallels with the words of Jesus - today he reflects (with Jacko's help!) on the words of the much-loved 23rd Psalm - The Lord is my shepherd. Bethan Cannell tells her own lockdown story that's brought her back to the Island and interrupted her voluntary work with Operation Mobilisation - the world's biggest floating Book Fair. If you'd like to know more about Bethan's work, take a look at the website www.om.org/en And the Reverend Andrew Moughtin-Mumby - Rector of St Peter's Chuch in Walworth, South East London - has some stark facts about racism, and a challenging message for Windrush Day. On 22nd June, Reverend Andrew led a special service to mark the 72nd Anniversary of the arrival of The Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks in East London, bringing Jamaicans and other British Commonwealth citizens from the West Indies, to help rebuild Britain at the end of the Second World War. Today's programme includes his sermon from that service. There's music too - and if you would like to choose a favourite hymn or sacred song, email judithley@manxradio.com
Seventy two years ago over 800 passengers arrived in the UK from the Caribbean aboard the Empire Windrush. This episode tells the story of their journey: from their initial optimism to the difficulties they faced adapting to life in Britain. The Empire Windrush lent its name to the 'Windrush generation', the people that came from the West Indies to live in the UK over a period of 25 years. Not only did they helped rebuild Britain after the Second World War but they enriched its culture too. These people were the parents, and grandparents, of British comedian Lenny Henry, writer Zadie Smith, footballers Ian Wright and Marcus Rashford, Lea-Anne Pinnock from Little Mix – and many more. The Windrush episode is read by the actor Suzette Llewellyn who plays Sheree in the British soap opera Eastenders. Her own parents came to London from Jamaica. We are eternally grateful to our amazing sound editor Max Watson. The script was written by Henrietta McMicking, and produced by Camilla Akers-Douglas and Henrietta McMicking. Our theme music is by James Burrell. To contact us, email camilla@wonderaudio.co.uk or henrietta@wonderaudio.co.uk Social media Twitter @wonder_podcast Facebook @wonderpodcasts Instagram @wonderpodcasts
On the anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush, Sophie and Ellie tell the story of the ship of West Indians that transformed Britain and what happened next. ----more---- They learn about the Windrush’s journey from the Jamaica to Britain and the West Indians who came looking for jobs in a Britain rebuilding after the War. We listen to a newsreel of how the Windrush immigrants were perceived as they first arrived. We learn how they struggled with their first few weeks in the underground station at Clapham. Then see how they found jobs and settled in places like Brixton and Notting Hill. We see how the NHS, London Transport and other actively recruited people from the West Indies. But we also learn about the racism that the West Indians experienced. The girls talk about their own mixed race background to put it in context. They learn about how their Great Grandfather came to Britain as a West Indian immigrant in the 1940s. The whole immigration discussion is placed in the context of this historic immigration from ancient times. We use an original song to illustrate this. We end by celebrating how our diversity is the strength of Britain. What is immigration Immigration through the ages The post war labour shortage in Britain The Windrush sets sail News coverage of the arrival of the Windrush How the Windrush passengers stayed underground at first in Clapham Why so many of the Windrush generation settled in Brixton and Notting Hill The efforts made to encourage more West Indians to come to Britain The racism experienced by West Indians, including by some police. An extensive discussion between the girls of what racism means to them The culture that the West Indians brought with them that became part of British culture. If you like this episode you might like our Slave Trade episode https://www.historystorytime.com/e/the-slave-trade/
Afia Atakora explores Black Lives in the immediate aftermath of the American Civil War in her new novel Conjure Women (Starts at 1.04) We follow a servant and former slave girl from a Jamaican plantation to Georgian London in The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins (16.00) We travel back in time to hear from the late Andrea Levy about her book The Long Song and how her father arrived in the UK on the Empire Windrush (31.14) And travel from racially charged Alabama to the Oval Office with Eric Motley (40.45) Plus there's a return to Afia Atakora for the books of her life. (49.00)
Louise Hare's debut novel, 'This Lovely City', tells the story of Lawrie Matthews. A jazz musician fresh of the Empire Windrush, takes rooms in a tiny South London house, and immediately discovers a tragedy which threatens to tear the city apart.We talk about why this idea grew from a short-story, which she couldn't quite put down, also why she took on a Masters in Creative Writing, and what was special about this story that got her published, when some books before had failed.Also, Louise recently made the semi-leap to writing full-time, and we talk about how that's affected her working day, and how much she hopes to get done.I know we're in uncertain times, but if you can afford to help us out on Patreon, we'd really appreciate that right now - patreon.com/writersroutine.@writerspodwritersroutine.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This week, Emma B is joined by London based writer Louise Hare to chat about her stunning debut novel, This Lovely City, which follows the life of Jamaican jazz musician Lawrie Matthews as he arrives in London in 1950 on The Empire Windrush. In very challenging times, he falls for the girl next door, but not everything is at it seems. In this episode, the pair chat about The Windrush Scandal, changing paths midway through your career, and the kind of books you can read over and over again.
IICSA (Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse) as part of its Accountability and Reparations investigation will be looking at redress schemes. Redress schemes are often seen as vehicles to deliver justice to victims outside the litigation process. They naturally as a consequence have an attraction, but might it be superficial? Justice of course can mean different things to different people. Usually the general components are: Compensation Recognition Apologies It will be interesting to see what IICSA has to make of redress schemes when they come under its spotlight. We know from our work with survivors that redress schemes can deliver justice when there is no alternative, perhaps, for complex legal reasons. We have experience of such schemes in a wide set of circumstances: State schemes such as those that operated in the Australian states The Historic Abuse redress scheme in Jersey The current Jersey Redress Scheme Lambeth Bespoke schemes in relation to offenders. The success or otherwise of such schemes is very much dependent on the small print. The devil is often in the detail. Navigating successfully can sometimes be fraught and what ought to be straightforward turns out not to be, and can be very testing not just for the applicant but their lawyer too. Redress schemes which might also be known in some contexts as compensation schemes can be found in non-sexual abuse arenas too. There is the Windrush Compensation Scheme which was set-up by the government in the wake of the scandal that erupted when it came to public notice that some of those who came to the UK to live from the Commonwealth were being wrongly deprived to live and work here. This primarily concerned those who were of the “Empire Windrush” generation and their descendants. Redress under the scheme could mean compensation for loss of employment, homelessness, detention etc. Applicants are encouraged to apply online. There is a right of review and there is no litigation. How effective from an applicant the process and outcome will be, remains to be seen. There is a risk and concern that they might be under-compensated in comparison with what a court might award in the event of successful litigation. There is also the miscarriages of justice scheme: MOJAS MOJAS is available to all those who were innocent but convicted of a crime. It is also open potentially for those victims of trafficking who would have had the benefit of protection under Article 26 ECAT. Victims and survivors should always remember that there are time limits with schemes. They should never sit on the fence, but apply or at the very least seek expert legal advice.
THE 2019 ROYAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY COLIN MATTHEW MEMORIAL LECTUREPART OF OUR BLACK HISTORY MONTH SERIESIn the years after 1945 successive British governments set out to weaponise the nation's immigration policy. To maintain historic ties to the Old Commonwealth, and shore up Britain's position as a 'world power' they encouraged and even subsidised the emigration of over a million Britons while simultaneously recruiting thousands of East Europeans for new lives in Britain. Yet in 1948, with the arrival of the Empire Windrush and the passing of the British Nationality Act, another, unplanned and unwanted migration was set in train.A lecture by David Olusoga OBE, University of Manchester 1 October 2019The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/human-trafficGresham College has been giving free public lectures since 1597. This tradition continues today with all of our five or so public lectures a week being made available for free download from our website. There are currently over 2,000 lectures free to access or download from the website.Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk Twitter: http://twitter.com/GreshamCollege Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greshamcollege Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/greshamcollege
In the first of a two part series, journalist Hugh Muir examines Carib-British identity through the descendants of Windrush. Seventy years ago, 492 men and women disembarked at Tilbury dock from the Empire Windrush. We have seen the photos and the newsreels. But what happened next? What do we know about the families they built here, the children and grandchildren? Did the Caribbean culture they brought with them endure, or are their children and grandchildren in all ways British? Hugh Muir explores the lives and identities of British Caribbeans in the UK. There are almost 1 million people in the UK who identify as having Caribbean or mixed Caribbean heritage. Through the stories and memories of Hugh's family and others, he tries to understand how a British Caribbean presence and identity was formed over three generations. This first episode is set between two homes - that of Hugh's dad, William Edward in rural Aberdeen, south west Jamaica, and the traditional Caribbean front room of the 1960s and 70s. It was in this symbolic space that many West-Indian parents, including Hugh's now ageing and frail father, paraded the beliefs and values they sought to pass down to subsequent generations - religious values, work ethic and aspiration. It was where children absorbed their parents' culture via the radiogram, blues parties, prayer gatherings and stories of "back home". But passing the torch from conservative parents with a sense of Empire and notions of the Motherland to children forced to navigate Britain as it was, while forming their own identities, was not an easy process. There was conflict inside and outside the home and a struggle with the authorities, which continues to this day with the Windrush immigration scandal. And yet there emerged from that process an explosion of vital and distinct British Caribbean culture - lovers rock, the soundsystem, a look, and a vocabulary that helped the Windrush children stamp their imprint on British society and pave the way for the next generation. A Cast Iron Radio production for BBC Radio 4.
How is a script transformed into a staged play? The UK’s National Theatre is one of the world’s most prolific producing houses and its artistic director Rufus Norris might have the biggest job in British theatre: balancing its commercial success with the need to take a chance on a new play. His latest production, Small Island, is the first theatrical adaptation of the well-known novel by Andrea Levy about Caribbean migration. Set in the 1940s, it deals with the experiences of Jamaicans and Britons around the arrival of the Empire Windrush in London. Arts broadcaster and journalist Fiona Lindsay talks to Rufus Norris, as well as members of the cast and crew, to explore the technical and creative challenges of this epic production. With unique access to the rehearsal room, she takes us behind the scenes at the National Theatre to discover how a complex and much-loved story is brought to new life on stage
Chances are, you've never heard of the Empire Windrush, nor the generation of people that came from it. If you've heard bands like Steel Pulse and UB40, chances are... you owe them a huge debt of gratitude. Find out how the post WW2 rebuilding of London made Reggae music what it is today in this Extra Cast. Hosted by Shaggy Jenkins --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/q103bonuscast/support
How would you deal with facing hatred and prejudice in the place you call home? For Floella Benjamin this was a difficult reality when she came to England as part of the Windrush Generation, arriving in England to an environment of hostility and adversity. In this episode, commemorating the first ever Windrush Day on the 22nd June, Baroness Benjamin explains her childhood experiences of growing up in Trinidad, coming to Britain and the reaction of British people to the influx of Caribbean on Empire Windrush. Through the perspective of her childhood, Floella illustrates how she grew up identifying herself as a proud member of the British Commonwealth. When she arrived in the 'Motherland' she was subjected to racist bullying and hostile treatment. Somehow and with the help of her devoted parents, she found the strength and love to accept herself and smile through the adversity. Now, she looks back on a successful, eclectic and distinguished career. She has long been a star on stage and screen, a published author, business women and is now a Baroness in the House of Lords. Her achievements have been hard-won and are a symbol of triumph over adversity. After years of campaigning for the recognition of the suffering of the Windrush generation, Baroness Benjamin is excited to invite you to join her in celebration of Windrush Day, to mark this important joining of Caribbean and British cultures and to remind us never to repeat the failings of our past. Subscribe now and listen to this podcast on Global player, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The 22 June marks 70 years since the arrival of the Empire Windrush at Tilbury docks. Fast forward to today, three generations later, the Windrush scandal is a stark reminder of this contested history of settlement, integration and exclusion throwing into question what Britishness really means. In this episode of UNFILTERED, we ask Dr Nando Sigona, Reader in International Migration and Forced Displacement, and Doctoral Researcher April-Louise Pennant, "What does it mean to be British?"
In this second episode of 'UNFILTERED', we invite two of our migration and identity experts to discuss a current topic over a coffee. The 22 June marks 70 years since the arrival of the Empire Windrush at Tilbury docks. Fast forward to today, three generations later, the Windrush scandal is a stark reminder of this contested history of settlement, integration and exclusion throwing into question what Britishness really means.Dr Nando Sigona, Reader in International Migration and Forced Displacement, and Doctoral Researcher April-Louise Pennant discuss, "What does it mean to be British?"For more content on this episode visithttps://www.birmingham.ac.uk/unfiltered2
Vanley Burke is a Jamaican-born photographer often described as the Godfather of Black British Photography. His body of work is regarded as the greatest photographic record of African Caribbean people in post-war Britain. He is motivated by a desire to document culture and history. Vanley was born in 1951 in St Thomas, Jamaica. When he was four, his mother emigrated to Britain to train as a nurse, leaving him in his grandparents' care. His mother sent him a Box Brownie camera as a present when he was ten, and his interest in photography was born. When he was 14 he left Jamaica to join his mother and her husband and their children, in Handsworth, Birmingham, where they ran a shop. Vanley's fascination with photography continued and he began taking photographs of every aspect of the life of his local community. He also started collecting relevant objects to provide more context for his photographs, gathering everything from pamphlets, records and clothes to hurricane lamps. His archive became so substantial that it is largely housed in Birmingham's Central Library.In 1977 he photographed African Liberation Day in Handsworth Park, documenting what is thought to be the largest all-black crowd ever to assemble in Britain. In 1983 he held his first exhibition, Handsworth from the Inside, at the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham, and in 2015 the entire contents of his flat was relocated to the gallery for the exhibition At Home with Vanley Burke. His images have appeared in galleries around the UK and abroad. Earlier this year, he was commissioned to mark the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush, creating the installation 5000 Miles and 70 Years at the MAC in Birmingham.CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Blue in Green by Miles Davis BOOK CHOICE: Encyclopedia of Tropical Plants by Ahmed Fayaz LUXURY ITEM: A Machete and a Crocus bagPresenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Cathy Drysdale
Vanley Burke is a Jamaican-born photographer often described as the Godfather of Black British Photography. His body of work is regarded as the greatest photographic record of African Caribbean people in post-war Britain. He is motivated by a desire to document culture and history. Vanley was born in 1951 in St Thomas, Jamaica. When he was four, his mother emigrated to Britain to train as a nurse, leaving him in his grandparents’ care. His mother sent him a Box Brownie camera as a present when he was ten, and his interest in photography was born. When he was 14 he left Jamaica to join his mother and her husband and their children, in Handsworth, Birmingham, where they ran a shop. Vanley’s fascination with photography continued and he began taking photographs of every aspect of the life of his local community. He also started collecting relevant objects to provide more context for his photographs, gathering everything from pamphlets, records and clothes to hurricane lamps. His archive became so substantial that it is largely housed in Birmingham’s Central Library. In 1977 he photographed African Liberation Day in Handsworth Park, documenting what is thought to be the largest all-black crowd ever to assemble in Britain. In 1983 he held his first exhibition, Handsworth from the Inside, at the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham, and in 2015 the entire contents of his flat was relocated to the gallery for the exhibition At Home with Vanley Burke. His images have appeared in galleries around the UK and abroad. Earlier this year, he was commissioned to mark the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush, creating the installation 5000 Miles and 70 Years at the MAC in Birmingham. CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Blue in Green by Miles Davis BOOK CHOICE: Encyclopedia of Tropical Plants by Ahmed Fayaz LUXURY ITEM: A Machete and a Crocus bag Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Cathy Drysdale
In this episode of Stance Takes - we celebrate Black History Month in the UK and hear whether new ideas around representation and diversity are challenging the old stale orthodoxy. Stance co-host Chrystal Genesis takes her son to the British Library’s exhibition celebrating 70 years since the Empire Windrush. They share stories of their history against a backdrop of Marcus Garvey, Darcus Howe and Una Marson. We speak to Farzana Khan, a producer and award-winning arts educator currently coordinating the Black Cultural Activist Map with the Stuart Hall Foundation, to celebrate and restore stories of forgotten cultural activists. We also meet the people behind Knights Of, a new publishing house overturning conventional wisdom in literature. Stancepodcast.com @stancepodcast Stance Takes is a new experimental series outside of Stance Podcast’s regular format, covering entertainment, in-depth interviews and the ideas framing our conversations. Our first episode of Stance Takes was selected as “Podcast of the Week” by The Times. Stance is an award-winning arts, culture and current affairs podcast, exploring diverse, global perspectives.
HMT Empire Windrush is one of the most significant vessels in British history. In 1948, the Empire Windrush safely navigated the Atlantic Ocean, having started its journey in the Caribbean and concluding its voyage at Tilbury Docks in South-East England. The passengers were from the Caribbean; they were looking to find homes and work in Britain, as the whole of the UK underwent a rebuilding process following WW2. The ‘Windrush Generation’ takes its name from the ship that began the post-WW2 migratory process, but actually includes all Caribbean migrants who arrived in Britain between 1948 and 1962. This Podcast tells the fascinating story of the boat itself, the migrants and their contribution to British economic, social, cultural and political history. For terms of use, please visit www.versushistory.com
Garden designer, TV presenter and RHS flower show judge James Alexander-Sinclair takes us on a journey into the heart and soul of the Chelsea Flower Show, exploring top-end design, incredible plants and planting, and meeting the people who make it all happen and the celebrities who turn out in force to soak up the Chelsea buzz. Find out about feel-good gardens, exciting new plants and garden products, and get design tips for your garden. This year's show also shows the power of gardening as a force for good. We meet the creator of The Lemon Tree Trust Garden, inspired by the gardens of Domiz refugee camp in Iraq. It's a heartwarming tale of human spirit and triump over adversity, and the RHS is proud to have been able to support the Trust in its work. We also speak to Baroness Floella Benjamin and singer and actress Beverley Knight about Birmingham City Council's display celebrating 70 years since the Empire Windrush arrived in Britain, marking the beginning of a new chapter in our nation's history. For more info and useful links see www.rhs.org.uk/podcast
Michael Fassbender was reportedly happy to be filmed completely naked in the film Shame, but compared with female nudity, male full-frontal shots are still rare on screen. What are the reasons for this disparity and what are the certification issues with representation of the male organ? The BBFC's David Austin and film critics Hannah McGill and Ryan Gilbey consider the long and the short of it.Chris Lang, the critically-acclaimed writer and creator of ITV's Unforgotten, talks about his latest crime drama Innocent, starring Hermione Norris and Lee Ingleby.Stuart Hall was a Jamaican-born cultural theorist, political activist and Marxist sociologist who arrived in Britain three years after the Empire Windrush in 1951 and was one of the founding figures of the school of thought that is now known as The Birmingham School of Cultural Studies. Gilane Tawadros and Professor Kurt Burling discuss what his memoir Familiar Stranger reveals about the man, as well as the impact his work has had on the way Britain's cultural life is understood.Presenter: Stig Abell Producer: Edwina Pitman.
Racial diversity is one of many facets that separates England from the other parts of the United Kingdom. While the UK’s White population totals over 55,010,359 or 87.1% according the 2011 census, just under 13% or over 7.5 million are non white. Over 90% of all British ethnic minorities live in England and most of them can be found in its cities of Birmingham, London, Leicester, Luton, Manchester, Wolverhampton, Bradford, Coventry and Watford. It’s the arrival of the first mass wave of non white immigrants in 1948 on the Empire Windrush, that really started modern England, a country comfortable enough to say its favourite food is curry and where “Jafacian” is could displace cockney as the dialect of the capitol’s kids. This episode is broadly about that viewed through the prism of one aspect of English culture, Ska. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Mid-Atlantic - conversations about US, UK and world politics
Racial diversity is one of many facets that separates England from the other parts of the United Kingdom. While the UK’s White population totals over 55,010,359 or 87.1% according the 2011 census, just under 13% or over 7.5 million are non white. Over 90% of all British ethnic minorities live in England and most of them can be found in its cities of Birmingham, London, Leicester, Luton, Manchester, Wolverhampton, Bradford, Coventry and Watford. It’s the arrival of the first mass wave of non white immigrants in 1948 on the Empire Windrush, that really started modern England, a country comfortable enough to say its favourite food is curry and where “Jafacian” is could displace cockney as the dialect of the capitol’s kids. This episode is broadly about that viewed through the prism of one aspect of English culture, Ska. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Racial diversity is one of many facets that separates England from the other parts of the United Kingdom. While the UK’s White population totals over 55,010,359 or 87.1% according the 2011 census, just under 13% or over 7.5 million are non white. Over 90% of all British ethnic minorities live in England and most of them can be found in its cities of Birmingham, London, Leicester, Luton, Manchester, Wolverhampton, Bradford, Coventry and Watford. It’s the arrival of the first mass wave of non white immigrants in 1948 on the Empire Windrush, that really started modern England, a country comfortable enough to say its favourite food is curry and where “Jafacian” is could displace cockney as the dialect of the capitol’s kids. This episode is broadly about that viewed through the prism of one aspect of English culture, Ska. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
When the Empire Windrush docked, the first contribution of the arrivals from the Caribbean was cultural - Lord Kitchener singing his calypso "London is the Place for Me". Stig Abell talks to publisher Sharmaine Lovegrove and calypsonian Alexander D Great about the artistic contribution of the Windrush Generation, and their offspring. Alexander sings 'After the Windrush', a new calypso written especially for Front Row.Comedian David Walliams pays tribute to his friend the television presenter Dale Winton who has died. Known for his warmth and unpretentious style he presented many programmes including Supermarket Sweep, Pet Win Prizes and In It To Win It. As the BBC Proms 2018 season is announced, music critic Alexandra Coghlan assesses this year's offerings.Imtiaz Dharker is an interesting mixture, she grew up as a Muslim Calvinist in a Lahori household - in Glasgow. So she has plenty to draw on as a poet. She talks about and reads from her new collection 'Luck is the Hook'. Her poems range widely and intriguingly, and include one about an elephant walking on the Thames.Presenter: Stig Abell Producer: Edwina Pitman.
Matthew Bannister on The parasitologist Sylvia Meek who led the fight to reduce deaths from malaria. Harry Rabinowitz who conducted the music for many films and TV series, including the English Patient and Upstairs Downstairs. Ethel Bush who was one of the two first policewomen to be awarded the George Medal for bravery. Sam King, the RAF veteran from Jamaica who later travelled to Britain on the Empire Windrush and became Mayor of Southwark. And Chips Moman, the record producer who worked with Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin and Willie Nelson.
Poet Ian McMillan has described his home town Barnsley as 'the filter I see everything through' and this is clear from his new book To Fold the Evening Star which gathers work from eight key collections as well as new and previously unpublished work. He talks to John Wilson about being a Yorkshire poet, politics and poetry, and getting older. As the first series of Undercover and Marcella end this week with questions left unanswered for a potential second series, we discuss how and when channels decide whether a TV drama should return for more series. Writer Kay Mellor and critic Boyd Hilton give us their insights.Black Chronicles: Photographic Portraits 1862-1948 is a new exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London which presents a snapshot of black lives and experiences in 19th and 20th century Britain. Curator Renée Mussai discusses the context of the exhibition which focuses on the period before the arrival of the Empire Windrush which brought the first large group of Caribbean migrants to Great Britain.In the final instalment of our series Shakespeare's people, Janet Suzman chooses Portia from the Merchant of Venice. You can catch up with all our Shakespeare's People on the Front Row website.Presenter: John Wilson Producer: Elaine Lester.
Before the Windrush - Laurie Taylor talks to John Belchem, Professor of History at the University of Liverpool, about his study of race relations in 20th century Liverpool. Long before the arrival of the Empire Windrush after the Second World War, the city was already a teeming mix of different nationalities and races. Black Liverpudlians pioneered mixed marriages and parentage but they also experienced rejection and discrimination. Nisha Katona, city born resident and trustee of National Museums Liverpool, joins the debate. Also, Bjorn Andersen, a sociologist at the University of Gothenburg, discusses the phenomenon of the late modern 'hipster', the young bohemian of the cosmopolitan city. Producer: Jayne Egerton.
In 1948 nearly 500 pioneers travelled from the Caribbean on the Empire Windrush. The passage cost £28, 10 shillings. Passenger Sam King describes the conditions on board and the concerns people had about finding a job in England - and what life was like in their adopted country once they arrived.
In 1948 nearly 500 pioneers travelled from the Caribbean on the Empire Windrush. The passage cost £28, 10 shillings. Passenger Sam King describes the conditions on board and the concerns people had about finding a job in England - and what life was like in their adopted country once they arrived.
The New Elizabethans: Stuart Hall. To mark the Diamond Jubilee, James Naughtie examines the lives and impact of the men and women who have given the second Elizabethan age its character. Stuart Hall is a leading thinker on British culture, race and identity. Born and educated in in Jamaica, Hall won a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University and arrived in Britain in 1951, three years after the Empire Windrush carried the first generation of post-war West Indian immigrants to the UK. He went on to become a founding figure in cultural studies through his work at Birmingham University with Richard Hoggart. His writing and ideas have influenced politics and public debate across the Second Elizabethan Age. The New Elizabethans have been chosen by a panel of leading historians, chaired by Lord (Tony) Hall, Chief Executive of London's Royal Opera House. The panellists were Dominic Sandbrook, Bamber Gascoigne, Sally Alexander, Jonathan Agar, Maria Misra and Sir Max Hastings. They were asked to choose: "Men and women whose actions during the reign of Elizabeth II have had a significant impact on lives in these islands and/or given the age its character, for better or worse." Producer: James Cook.