Archive theme
Fighting Racism: Britain and Europe
Bernie Grant’s political career was deeply shaped by a commitment to confronting racism and promoting racial justice. As a prominent voice for Black Britons, he often acted as an advocate for individuals and communities facing discrimination, addressing grievances that were frequently overlooked by other representatives. His work was not limited to local issues but extended to broader challenges, including the rising tide of racism across Europe in the late 20th century. This archive offers insight into his persistent efforts to raise awareness, challenge injustice, and push for systemic change. Visitors to this theme can explore a range of materials documenting Grant’s anti-racist campaigns, from grassroots community initiatives to parliamentary debates. These records highlight his dedication to recognizing the contributions of African and Caribbean people in British history, such as during the commemorations of World War II, where he challenged the exclusion of Black servicemen and women from official remembrance. Through these documents, the archive provides a historical record of the battles fought against racial inequality and the ongoing struggle for inclusion and fairness in British society.
At the heart of Bernie Grant’s interests as a political figure, was the cause of anti-racism, and creation of a fairer society for all by tackling discrimination and its root causes. Grant was widely considered a voice for Black Britons, and as such was often the point of call for many who were experienced racism either as individuals or collectively. In his position as MP, Grant was sought out by members of the public far beyond his own constituency, when their own local representatives had fallen short of supporting them. As a an elected watchdog against racism, Grant and his office were inundated with cases and causes arising from strongly felt grievances or discrimination founded in racism. Alongside this, he was also proactive in fighting against racism when he himself was the victim, in politics and in the press. It is hard to differentiate Grant’s anti-racist work from the rest of his activities, because it was ever present in his work. But here are some examples from the archive, of cases, arguments and campaigns that Grant and his peers were engaged with during his political career, which speak to his commitment to pursuing an anti-racist future. This section is especially focussed on examples of this work both in Britain, and his growing concern with the upsurge in racist sentiments across the European continent in the late 20th century:
Theme sections
Grant’s archive offers a glimpse into the initiatives that were ongoing in the late 20th century, with the goal of combatting the dearth in available resources, heritage institutions and public knowledge projects,…
6 document/media itemsTheme sectionCaribbean LinksIn 1985, Caribbean Links was set up by Afro-Caribbean community members, as a “voluntary and totally non-funded organisation”, aimed at promoting the Caribbean, its history, culture and people in Britain. Grant was…
1 document/media itemTheme sectionBlack British ArtistsIn 1998, the British Tourist Authority launched a ‘Rock & Pop’ Map. The intention of this was to encourage foreign tourists to conduct their own, self-led tours across Britain, using this map…
0 document/media itemsTheme sectionHeineken‘Hotel Babylon’ was a music programme, broadcasted in 1996, and produced jointly by Planet 24 and Heineken, the beer brewing company. The British Press were tipped off to a racist action by…
2 document/media itemsTheme sectionGovernmental discriminationIn May of 1996, Grant hit back at Tory proposals for the elderly to purchase insurance for long term care in the realm of around £10,000. Grant argued that for many Black…
0 document/media itemsTheme sectionAnti-FascismUnfortunately, due to his high public profile, Grant received many racist remarks and threats throughout his career. In the late 1980s as right wing groups were appearing on the streets, and an…
0 document/media itemsTheme sectionSCOREAs the European continent entered into a period of economic stagnation, high rates of unemployment and political uncertainty in the post-cold war era of the 1990s, racist and xenophobic sentiments became increasingly…
5 document/media itemsTheme sectionOrganisation for Africans in EuropeIn 1992, Bernie Grant was invited to attend the 56th Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Council of Members in Dakar, Senegal. The OAU was originally formed in 1963 in Addis Ababa, as…
1 document/media itemRelated archive records
These are individual catalogue records connected to this theme.
No archive items found.
