Letter from Chris Khamis (Birmingham Black Sections) 1987

About this item

This 1987 letter from Chris Khamis, organiser of the Birmingham Black Section of the Labour Party, invites Bernie Grant to speak at their first public meeting. The letter highlights early Black political organising within the Labour Party aimed at increasing Black membership and addressing injustices such as the sacking of local councillor Phillip Murphy. It exemplifies grassroots activism and coalition-building within Black British political history.

Key points:
– The letter invites Bernie Grant to speak at the Birmingham District Labour Party Black Section’s first public meeting on 7 April 1987.
– The Birmingham Black Section was formed in September 1986 and had already protested the sacking of Councillor Phillip Murphy.
– The meeting was planned at The Summerfield Centre in Winson Green, Handsworth, aiming to boost Labour Party and Black Section membership.
– The letter references an alliance with the Black Community Action Group from Wolverhampton, campaigning for justice over Clinton McCurbin’s death.
– There is criticism of the Labour Chairperson of the Race Relations and Equal Opportunities Committee for inviting the Prime Minister of Pakistan to Birmingham despite controversies.

This document illustrates Bernie Grant’s connection to emerging Black Labour Party sections in the 1980s, reflecting the broader movement for Black political representation and anti-racist activism within local government. It shows early efforts by Black British activists to challenge institutional racism and build solidarity across communities and causes, a hallmark of Grant’s political legacy.

Source note: The OCR transcription contains minor errors and some unclear words but provides sufficient detail to understand the letter’s content and significance.