Key Events in the Black Civil Rights Movement in Britain

1940s: Legal Precedents and a New Beginning

1940 – Colour bar on military officers begins to be dismantled

During the Second World War, sustained campaigning by groups such as the League of Coloured Peoples and the West African Students Union led to the removal of regulations. These regulations previously prevented anyone not of “pure European descent” from becoming an officer in the British armed forces.

1943 – Constantine v Imperial London Hotels

Learie Constantine, a West Indian cricketer, wins a landmark legal case after being denied service due to his race. This case was one of the earliest examples of a successful racial discrimination suit in Britain.

1948 – British Nationality Act

This act grants citizenship to people from British colonies, paving the way for mass migration from the Caribbean and other parts of the Commonwealth.

1948 – Arrival of Empire Windrush (22 June)

Nearly 500 Caribbean passengers arrive at Tilbury Docks. This marks the beginning of modern multicultural Britain.

1950s: Struggle, Solidarity, and Cultural Resistance

1951 – Death of Dr Harold Moody

The early UK civil rights movement suffered a significant loss with the death of Dr. Harold Moody. His passing marked the end of one era and paved the way for a new generation of leadership.

1957 – David Pitt addresses Labour Party Conference

Trinidadian-born Dr. David Pitt delivers a forceful speech against racial intolerance. This speech stands out as one of the earliest examples of anti-racist politics within a mainstream UK party.

1957 – Rent Act fuels housing inequality

The national government removes rent controls. Landlords such as Peter Rachman would exploit newly arrived Caribbean migrants, who were unable to access fair housing due to widespread discrimination.

1958 – Notting Hill and Nottingham Race Riots

Racial tensions erupted as white mobs, including ‘Teddy Boys’, launched violent attacks on Caribbean residents in both Nottingham and London’s Notting Hill. In Notting Hill, Black residents fiercely resisted, led notably by ex-Second World War servicemen defending their communities. These riots sparked a wave of Black-led organising, solidarity, and cultural resistance.

1958 – Claudia Jones launches The West Indian Gazette

This was the first major Black British newspaper advocating for civil rights, anti-colonialism, and Pan-African solidarity. It served as a platform for the Black community, amplifying their voices and addressing issues of racism and inequality.

1958 – West Indian Standing Conference (WISC) formed

Established to unify Caribbean community organisations and address discrimination in housing and employment. It was formed in response to the Notting Hill riots.

1959 – Claudia Jones organises Britain’s first Caribbean Carnival

Claudia Jones hosts a carnival at St Pancras Town Hall. This event celebrated Caribbean culture and unity. It served as both a political response to the 1958 race riots and a joyful expression of resistance, laying the foundation for what would later become the Notting Hill Carnival.

1959 – Kelso Cochrane is murdered in Notting Hill

The Antiguan carpenter’s fatal stabbing is believed to be racially motivated, triggering national outrage. Tragically, no one has ever been charged, and the case remains unsolved to this day.

1959 – David Pitt runs for Parliament in Hampstead

David Pitt becomes one of the first Black parliamentary candidates, though he is unsuccessful. His campaign challenged the political status quo.

1960s: From Protest to Policy

1962 – Commonwealth Immigrants Act

This act imposes immigration controls on citizens from former British colonies. Though framed as neutral, it disproportionately targeted Black and Asian migrants. This marked the start of racially coded immigration policy.

November 1962 – West Indian Development Council (WIDC) formed

Also known as the Commonwealth Coordinated Committee (CCC), it was formed in Bristol to support Caribbean migrants facing systemic discrimination in housing and employment. It played a key role in the Bristol Bus Boycott.

1963 – Bristol Bus Boycott

Led by Paul Stephenson, Roy Hackett, Guy Bailey, and others, this campaign successfully challenged a local bus company’s colour bar. This marked a major civil rights victory inspired by the US movement.

1964 – Smethwick General Election campaign

The Conservative electoral campaign exploits anti-immigrant sentiment. One slogan, now infamous, lays bare the open racism in British politics at the time. The incident highlights how racial tensions were mirrored and amplified in mainstream UK politics.

December 1964 – Martin Luther King Jr. visits London

King meets UK civil rights activists and engages with immigrant communities, which led to the formation of the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination (CARD).

12 February 1965 – Malcolm X visits Smethwick

Amid growing racial tensions, Malcolm X visits the area shortly before his assassination, spotlighting British racism on an international stage.

1965 – Campaign Against Racial Discrimination (CARD) founded

Formed after King’s visit, CARD lobbies for anti-discrimination laws and legal reforms.

1965 – CARD’s Green Document submitted

This influential document suggests amendments to the upcoming Race Relations Bill. It proposes a conciliatory commission instead of criminal penalties, a key step toward establishing the Race Relations Board.

1965 – Immigration White Paper released

This signals more restrictive immigration policies targeting non-white populations.

1965 – First Race Relations Act passed

This act prohibits racial discrimination in public spaces. While groundbreaking, it remains a limited piece of legislation.

1966–1970: Radicalisation, Policing, and Legal Expansion

1966 – Asquith Xavier breaks British Rail colour bar

After a public campaign, Xavier becomes the first Black train guard at London Euston. He defeated a racist ban on non-white employees.

1966 – CARD launches Summer Project

This project monitored enforcement of the Race Relations Act, revealing continued discrimination in housing and employment.

1967 – First convictions under Race Relations Act

A 17-year-old from the National Socialist Party faces conviction for racial discrimination. Colin Jordan, the party’s leader, is jailed for inciting hatred.

1967 – CARD petitions the BBC to axe the Black & White Minstrel Show

In May, CARD presents a petition calling for the end of the racist show. They describe it as offensive and distressing. The BBC refuses, showing how media of the time mirrored rather than led social change.

1967 – Stokely Carmichael addresses the Dialectics of Liberation Congress (Roundhouse in London)

This famed US Black Power leader inspires young Black British activists to organise around self-determination.

1967 – Universal Coloured People's Association (UCPA) founded

The UK’s first Black Power group is established on 5 June 1967. It forms from a meeting of 76 members of the Black British community in Notting Hill, London.

1967 – Mangrove Restaurant opens in Notting Hill

Founded by Frank Crichlow, the Mangrove quickly becomes a political and cultural hub. It later becomes central to the Mangrove Nine case.

1968 - Black Education Movement founded

The Black Education Movement (BEM) challenged racism in British schools and worked to improve education for Black children. It established supplementary schools, opposed biased pupil banding, criticised ESN schools, formed advocacy groups, and raised public awareness around systemic inequalities in the education system.

1968 – Second Commonwealth Immigrants Act passed

This law tightens immigration rules, making Commonwealth citizens without a parent or grandparent born in Britain subject to the same controls as non-Commonwealth migrants. This was widely seen as targeting East African Asians and Caribbean communities and was criticized for its racist intent.

1968 – Second Race Relations Act

This act expands anti-discrimination protections to housing, employment, and public services.

1968 – British Black Panthers founded

Formed in Notting Hill by Obi Egbuna, later joined by Altheia Jones-LeCointe and Darcus Howe, the group campaigns against police brutality, racism, and economic inequality.

December 1968 – Obi Egbuna arrested and convicted

He is charged with incitement following an essay on police violence. His case underscores the state’s response to radical Black organising. Leadership of the Panthers passes to Altheia Jones-LeCointe.

1969 – George Padmore Black Supplementary School opens

Established by John La Rose and others in response to racism in education, this school later expands into the Black Parents Movement.

1969 – The Race Today political magazine founded

This magazine is established by the Race Today Collective, becoming a leading organ for Black and Asian politics in 1970s Britain.

November 1969 – Civil Rights activist Olive Morris is assaulted under the SUS laws

On 15th November, Olive Morris is physically assaulted by police while defending a Nigerian diplomat wrongly accused of stealing his own car in Brixton. Her treatment highlights the discriminatory use of the Vagrancy Act 1824, which allowed police to arrest anyone merely “suspected” of a crime. This disproportionately targeted Black youth and sparked wider protests and campaigns for its repeal.

1970: The Movement Hits the Courts

1970 – Mangrove Nine trial begins

Nine Black activists are tried after protesting repeated police raids on the Mangrove Restaurant. This historic trial acknowledges evidence of racial bias within the police for the first time.

The case marks a generational shift, as younger members of the Windrush generation take a central role in the struggle for justice.

Legacy: Foundations for the Future

The period between 1940 and 1970 laid the groundwork for the modern Black British civil rights movement. Through protest, legal challenges, community organizing, and cultural expression, generations of activists confronted systemic racism. They demanded recognition, justice, and equality.

The efforts of individuals and organizations during this era reshaped Britain’s legal, political, and cultural landscape. This made it possible for future generations to continue pushing for racial justice. Their legacy endures in today’s ongoing struggles against discrimination and in the fight for a truly inclusive society.

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The case of Constantine v Imperial London Hotels

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