Timeline

1940s

1944 Born Georgetown, Guyana, 17th February

1949 Attends Government Primary School Ituni

1950s

1953 Attends Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School

1955 – 61 Saint Stanislaus College, Georgetown Influenced by radio reports of liberation movements in Africa and Cuba Bernie aged 16

1960s

1961 Analyst at Demerara Bauxite Company

1963 Emigrates to Britain, to join his family in Haringey, North London

1963 – 65 British Rail Clerk, Kings Cross Station

1965 – 67 Studies for A levels at Tottenham Technical College Bernie Grant outside Tottenham College

1967 – 69 Studies Mining Engineering at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh

1969 Leaves University in protest at racial discrimination

1969 – 78 International Telephonist, General Post Office Union of Post Office Workers Shop steward and activist

1970s

1971 Organises UPW 41 day strike

1977 Founder member of numerous anti-racist and anti-fascist organizations, and organizer of major protests against the National Front in London. Organises numerous community campaigns against racism in policing, education, housing, and to promote needs of local youth.

1978 – 83 Area Official for National Union of Public Employees, representing Local government and NHS workers, organising industrial action, and pressing for internal recognition of rights of black workers Bernie Grant's personal NUPE contribution card Bernie Grant's handwritten notes re workplace discrimination against 'black and other immigrant workers by management and trade unions'

1978 Made Honorary Life Member of UPW on leaving the Union Postal Union Honorary badge that Bernie Grant was particularly proud of

1979 – 83 Deputy Leader of Haringey Council

1979 Founder member of Standing Conference of Afro-Caribbean and Asian Councillors

1980s

1981 Founds Black Trade Unionists Solidarity Movement, becoming its development worker 1983-4 Conference flyer

1983 Founder member of Labour Party Black Sections Movement. Black Sections newsletter

Demands recognition of Black Sections at Labour Party Conference.

Organises support for year long Miners Strike.

1982 – 4 Supports New Jewel Movement in Grenada Protest flyer issued by the New Jewel Movement

1985 Equal Opportunities Officer, London Borough of Newham

1985 – 87 Elected Leader of Haringey Council, becoming first Black Leader in Europe. Attracts national attention as radically reforms council services. Victory photograph following election as Haringey Council Leader

1985 Broadwater Farm disturbances. Demonised in the tabloid press for his defence of alienated youth who suffered police racism. Bernie Grant and opposition leader Neil Kinnock at the Memorial of Cynthia Jarrett, Nov 1986

Dorothy Kuya's Report into Media Reporting of Blackwater Farm Riots

1986 Wins increased majority at local elections, despite adverse national media coverage

1987 Elected to Parliament, with Paul Boateng, Diane Abbott, and Keith Vaz, as the first Black MPs of modern times. 1987 electoral victory

Attends State Opening in African dress. Bernie Grant in African Dashiki at a State opening of Parliament. Photograph by Sharron Wallace

Member of National Executive, Anti-Apartheid Campaign, speaking at ANC World Conference in Tanzania

Begins 4 year campaign for release of Tottenham Three , wrongfully convicted of murder of a policeman in Broadwater Farm disturbances. Campaigners for the Tottenham Three 'On their way to submitting a petition to Parliament'

1988 Founds Parliamentary Black Caucus, developing links with the US Congressional Black Caucus Invitation to the launch of the Parliamentary Black Caucus

Speaking visits to France, St Kitts, Dublin and Turkey

1989 Hosts visit of 15 US Black Congress Members to UK Congressional Black Caucus Commemorative booklet

Launches The Black Parliamentarian Magazine Autographed first issue of 'The Black Parliamentarian'

Establishes Round Table Conference of Black Politicians and Academics

Castigates political parties for failing to field black candidates in Vauxhall by-election

1990s

1990 Greets Nelson Mandela on day of his release in South Africa Delegate badge worn by Bernie Grant during official South Africa Jesse Jackson tour.

Addresses National Rainbow Coalition Conference, Atlanta Georgia, USA

Opposes war in Iraq, and mounts peace mission to Baghdad A powerful orator – Opposing the Gulf War – addressing 200,000 in Hyde Park.

Elected Chair of Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MP's

Founds Standing Conference on Race Equality In Europe SCORE information and membership leaflet

Addresses first conference on Reparations for Africa, Lagos Nigeria

1991 Founded African University Project (AUP) Brochure issued by African University Project

Campaigns against oppressive immigration rules

Diplomatic Fact finding visit to Libya Letter from Bernie Grant sent to all invitees on the fact finding visit to Libya

1992 Lecture tour of US Universities Flyer advertising American university lecture delivered by Bernie Grant

Re-elected in General Election, doubling his majority Victory photograph following electoral win

Campaigns against effect of European trade regulations on developing countries, in UK, Berlin and Caribbean World Development Movement single issue publication 'Bananas Now', 1992

Attends Organization of African Unity (OAU) Summit in Senegal

1993 Visits South Africa with UK Black Business delegation to encourage international trade between black businesses. Later founds the Global Trade Centre (GTC) in 1995.

Addresses OAU Conference on Reparations in Abuja, Nigeria and launches African Reparations Movement UK (ARM) Some of the delegates to the First Pan-African Conference on Reparations, Abuja Flyer produced by the African Reparations Movement

Heads the campaign for justice after the death of Jamaican deportee Joy Gardner Bernie Grant and Joy Gardener's family campaigning for "Justice for Joy".

Sponsors Black Construction Professionals Organisation Landmark discussion document later launched by the Black International Construction Organisation (BICO) in 1996

Hosts first UK Conference on Reparations for Africa followed by a national speaking tour on reparations Flyer advertising speaking tour on Reparations

Protests the death of Stephen Lawrence Speaking during the Stephen Lawrence campaign

Awarded Honorary Doctorate by PACE University, New York USA Bernie Grant with his Pace University doctorate in hand

Campaigns for financial support for UK residents wishing to return to their country of birth.

Founded Caribbean Links (UK) Caribbean Links promotional brochure

1994 Addresses 7th Pan African Congress, Kampala, Uganda

Special Guest at the Inauguration of Nelson Mandela as President of South Africa Official programme for Nelson Mandela's Presidentail Inauguration

Pickets British Museum for the return of African Artifacts to Africa Bernie Grant campaigning for the return of African artefacts at the British Museum, 11 July 1994.

Launches bid for a dedicated venue for Black Arts and Culture in UK, the ‘International Centre for Performing Arts’ [to be later named the Bernie Grant Centre]. Press Release issued re the establishment of an International Centre for Performing Arts in Tottenham

Leads campaign against discriminatory stop and search practices by Police Pioneering information leaflet re Stop and Search jointly issued by Bernie Grant's MP Office and the Metropolitan Police, Tottenham

Speaks at Dublin Peace Rally

Hosts visit of Rev Jesse Jackson to UK Bernie Grant playing host to Rev. Jesse Jackson during a local visit to the UK. Pictured here in a local Tottenham hair salon

1995 Speaks at first UK African Remembrance Day in Dover

Campaigns against restrictions on Caribbean banana imports

Protests against the exclusion of West Indian Veterans from VE day Commemorations Letter to Bernie Grant from the West Indian Ex-Servicemen's Association, 28 Feb 1995

Speech on Capitol Hill Washington opposing reductions in overseas aid

Renews campaign against deaths in custody after acquittal of officers in the case of Joy Gardner Joy Gardner Campaign report issued after the outcome of the trial, c. June 1995

Launches Refugee Crisis Fund to support destitute asylum seekers Tottenham Refugee Crisis flyer

1996 Protests against failings of education system in inner cities

Proposes legislation to regulate immigration advisors Early Day Motion proposed by Bernie Grant, 24 Apr 1996

Works to bring consensus on re-unification in Cyprus

1997 Re-elected to Parliament with an increased majority

Writes to Prime Minister urging a systematic initiative to address race relations under the new Labour Government

Appointed to the Select Committee on International development

Intervenes in the crisis in Montserrat after it is devastated by volcanic eruption Letter to Bernie Grant from the Chief Minister of Montserrat

Campaigns for fairness in trade and aid for the developing world

1998 Opens Computer Training Centre, named after him, in Welkom, Free State, South Africa Bernie Grant in front of the Communal Information Technology Centre ('Bernie Grant Complex')

Undergoes major heart surgery, and suffers renal failure One of the numerous well wishes sent to Bernie Grant throughout his ill health

1999 Appointed to the Home Secretary's Race Relations Forum

Addresses Parliament on the publication of the Stephen Lawrence Enquiry Press release issued by Bernie Grant

Brokers meeting between Jamaican and UK Prime Minister to discuss trade relations between the Caribbean and Europe

Campaigns for the rights of dialysis patients

2000

2000 Criticises National Lottery bodies for bias against inner cities in allocation of funding

Attacks Labour Party for its failure to field black candidates in elections for the new Greater London Authority

Demands an apology for enslavement and colonisation from the Prime Minister on the floor of the House of Commons

Dies in hospital from diabetic complications on 8th April Funeral procession into Alexandra Palace, Haringey