Elizabeth Williams - The Politics of Race in Britain and South Africa: Black British Solidarity and the Anti-Apartheid Struggle

Elizabeth M. Williams taught as a visiting lecturer in modern history at the University of Northampton, Goldsmiths University of London and City Literary Institute, the Centre for Adult Learning in London. Currently she works as a subject librarian at Goldsmiths University of London.

THE POLITICS
OF RACE IN
BRITAIN AND
SOUTH AFRICA

Black British Solidarity and the
Anti-Apartheid Struggle

E LIZABETH M. W ILLIAMS

New hardback edition published in 2015 by

I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd

London New York

www.ibtauris.com

Copyright 2015 Elizabeth Williams

The right of Elizabeth Williams to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Every attempt has been made to gain permission for the use of the images in this book. Any omissions will be rectified in future editions.

References to websites were correct at the time of writing.

International Library of Historical Studies 88

ISBN: 978 1 78076 420 7

eISBN: 978 0 85773 951 3

A full CIP record for this book is available from the British Library

A full CIP record is available from the Library of Congress

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: available

For Clauris M. Andries, Artielene A. Williams,
Franklin F. Andries, Lincoln L. Andries, Regina E. Andries
and Carolyn Y. Bruce.

CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

. 1977 African Liberation Day March, Holy Road, Handsworth, Birmingham UK. (Vanley Burke collection, Library of Birmingham).

. 1970 Rhodesia Demonstration at Downing Street, London. (Vanley Burke collection, Library of Birmingham).

. 1980s street protest, To us Afrika is Home. (Vanley Burke collection, Library of Birmingham).

. 1970 Afro-Caribbean Self-Help Organisation march to Carrs Lane church for protest meeting against police brutality of black people, City Centre, Birmingham, UK. (Vanley Burke collection, Library of Birmingham).

. 1979 African Liberation Day March, Grove Lane, Handsworth Park Gate. Birmingham, UK. (Vanley Burke collection, Library of Birmingham).

. 1980s MGCC Marcus Garvey centenary speech. (Vanley Burke collection, Library of Birmingham).

ABBREVIATIONS

INTRODUCTION

This book examines the solidarity of black British communities in Britain with the people of South Africa who opposed apartheid. It also explores the issues that influenced their interactions in this endeavour with other groups, in particular the British Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM), which was widely regarded as the official anti-apartheid organisation in Britain. Ironically, in a struggle against a racist state in South Africa, relations between black and white activists in Britain were not without tension. The chapters uncover the areas of conflict that inhibited stronger collaboration between black activists engaged in domestic anti-racist struggles and the mainly white members of the AAM. Chapters assess the contribution of black groups that chose to show solidarity and support with the South African liberation movement independently of AAM links precisely because of these tensions. They will bring into central focus the often hidden contribution of black Britons to both domestic and international affairs.