Kevin Morris Masters thesis request

About this item

This document is a letter dated January 7, 1987, from Kevin Morris, a community worker and MA student, requesting materials about press coverage of Bernie Grant for his thesis on racism and the media. Morris seeks examples of both offensive and fair reporting related to Bernie Grant and his partner, aiming to study how language in the press can reinforce prejudice. The letter illustrates early academic and community interest in the representation of Black British political figures in the media.

Key points:
– The letter is addressed to Cllr. Bernie Grant, then Leader of Haringey Borough Council.
– Kevin Morris is researching a Master's thesis on racism and the press, focusing on language that reinforces prejudice.
– His research includes two case studies: the Ray Honeyford affair and media portrayals of Bernie Grant.
– Morris requests copies or references to press articles that were offensive or rational in their depiction of Bernie Grant and mentions that offensive coverage of Grant's partner should also be included.
– Kevin Morris identifies himself as a 35-year-old community worker in Sunderland and a member of the North East Anti Racist Group.

Bernie Grant was a prominent Black British politician known for his activism against racism and for representing marginalized communities. This letter reflects broader struggles during the 1980s to challenge racist media portrayals and foster critical examination of press bias, which connected to the wider movements for racial justice, anti-racism, and political representation in local government.

Source note: The OCR transcript is mostly clear but contains minor typographical errors and unusual characters that have been interpreted cautiously to preserve the document's meaning.