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UnityAnti-racist and anti-fascist magazine September/October 2016 Issue 17 £2 (where sold) uaf.org.uk

SINCE THE RS BIR EA TH Y O 0 F 4

Inside this issue Refugees in Calais Battle of Cable Street Teachers travel to France How the British Union of to support people stuck in Fascists was halted in 1936 ‘Jungle’ camp page 12 page 10 2 September/October 2016 Unity Headline

Standfirst

Body

Standing up to injustice

The NUT is proud of the work it does alongside Unite Against Fascism to campaign against racists and fascists. Thanks to the contributions of thousands of teachers to the union’s www.teachers.org.uk/edufacts political fund, the NUT is able to sponsor Unity magazine and to support campaigns against racist and fascist election candidates. nut.campaigns The fight for justice will continue until we have equality for all teachers and students. @NUTOnline Unity September/October 2016 3

Make schools safe places in uncertain times

In my previous column for Unity In these uncertain times it is vital that schools Magazine I talked about the are safe places for all children and young unpleasant tenor of the debate as people, free from the racism and negative the EU referendum neared, with language or attitudes which lead to bullying. the scapegoating of refugees and Teachers should be congratulated for creating a culture and ethos that challenges harmful migrants a particular concern. behaviour and ensures all parents and pupils Regrettably this has continued and must are welcome and safe in school. surely be a contributory factor in the increase I hope to see many readers of Unity in racist attacks and hate crimes reported in Magazine at the Stand up to Racism national recent weeks. conference in London on Saturday 8th October. We must be steadfast in deploring racist and Unity magazine is distributed free This promises to be an important event. From it discriminatory behaviour of any kind. The to members of the National Union of I hope we can develop an action plan to take NUT has a series of resources available Teachers for use with young people in our message of “No to Racism, Islamophobia to support teachers in order to schools. To get copies for your school, & Anti-Semitism” into every community in challenge this type of behaviour NUT association or division, please the country. when it arises in schools, email [email protected]. The magazine For the latest news and updates from including some produced in is also sent free to members of Unite the National Union of Teachers please partnership with Show Racism Against Fascism. Other individuals, follow us on twitter @NUTOnline the Red Card, the campaign union branches or organisations who and check out our Facebook page that uses top footballers to would like to receive copies should email NUT Campaigns. educate against racism. Do the UAF office at [email protected] For Best wishes, check these out on the NUT advertising or editorial enquiries, please Kevin Courtney website at teachers.org. email [email protected] or write to: General Secretary uk/equality Unity magazine, c/o UAF, National Union of Teachers (NUT) PO Box 72710, London SW19 9GX

Production team Ken Olende, Weyman Bennett, Contents Sabby Dhalu, Alan Gibson

Cover photo News: Ex-footballer’s Taser death; Racist murder in Harlow; Anti-fascists Rock Against Racism carnival, Leeds 1981 by John Sturrock mobilise in Cardiff ��4-5 Unite Against Fascism Black Lives Matter: rage at injustice on both sides of the Atlantic ��6 020 8971 7426 [email protected] Protests against racism after the EU vote ��9 uaf.org.uk Facebook: Unite Against Fascism The Battle of Cable Street: the fascists did not pass ��10 Twitter: @uaf Unite Against Fascism Teachers’ visit to the ‘Jungle’ camp in Calais ��12 PO Box 72710, London SW19 9GX 40 years since the birth of Rock Against Racism ��14 Stand Up to Racism Standing up to injustice [email protected] Set up a local group to organise against racism where you live ��18 standuptoracism.org.uk Facebook: Stand Up To Racism Students stand up to racism ��19 Twitter: @AntiRacismDay SUtR, PO Box 72710, London SW19 9GX US Civil Rights Movement: the Freedom Summer of 1964 ��20 The NUT is proud of the work it does alongside Unite Against Fascism to campaign against racists and fascists. Love Music Hate Racism How Arthur Wharton became Britain’s first black professional footballer [email protected] www.teachers.org.uk/edufacts Thanks to the contributions of thousands of teachers to the union’s lovemusichateracism.com in 1889 �� 22 political fund, the NUT is able to sponsor Unity magazine and to Facebook: LoveMusicHateRacism support campaigns against racist and fascist election candidates. Twitter: @lmhrnational nut.campaigns Love Music Hate Racism The fight for justice will continue until we have equality for all PO Box 66759, London WC1A 9EQ teachers and students. © Unite Against Fascism @NUTOnline Printed by TU Ink 4 September/October 2016 Unity

News round-up Use of Tasers questioned after footballer’s death by Phil Turner

The recent death of former professional footballer Dalian Atkinson has again highlighted the dangers of the increasing use of Tasers by police, particularly among black communities. Officers raised, aimed or fired a Taser 3,128 times in 2009, but this figure had tripled to 10,062 by 2014. Tasers were first used by firearms officers in 2004, and then specially trained units from 2008. Initially they were described as a non-lethal way of restraining people. However, following at least 10 deaths that have occurred in the UK following the use of Tasers, they are currently described as a “less lethal” self defence weapon. Meanwhile Dalian Atkinson when he was a player for Aston Villa in the United States, Tasers were linked to 49 deaths in the last year alone. and search among black people has risen Police officers receive training in the Black people are six times more likely by more than 120 percent, while amongst use of Tasers, including the deployment than white people to be stopped by the white people it has risen seven percent. of judgement, how to read situations, and police, and in some areas, such as the West The circumstances of Dalian Atkinson’s when and when not to deploy the weapon. Midlands and Dorset, that figure is much death are still being investigated. But the But black people are more than three higher. Since 1999 stop anti-racist campaign Show Racism times more likely to be tasered than white the Red Card said, “Rather than to people. simply retroactively look at the use An Equality and Human Rights of Tasers, stop and search and their Commission (EHRC) report released impact on communities, we need in early September said that Britain’s to proactively use this opportunity biggest police force, London’s Met, had as a springboard to have education and significant weaknesses in handling discussion around the issues of institutional discrimination. racism that means black people are looked Following an earlier report in 2013 the upon with more suspicion by those in EHRC stated “the overall disproportionality positions of authority.” in the use of the powers against black, Tasers are described as a ‘less lethal’ self defence Tasers fire two barbs into a victim’s body Asian and mixed race people remains weapon. This model is then discharge 50,000 volts of electricity stubbornly high”. n in use with police forces through their central nervous system. This around Britain can disrupt the heart’s rhythm. theredcard.org Confronting the rise in racism -- Stand Up to Racism conference Jeremy Corbyn MP, Kate Osamor Britain—Black Lives Matter; Refugees together speakers, organisations and MP, Owen Jones, Alf Dubbs and Malia welcome here; Prevent, the Extremism activists from anti-racist campaigns Bouattia are among the speakers Bill and the defence of civil liberties; across Europe in order to build on the confirmed to attend the Stand Up to Europe and the renewed threat of struggle against racism. Racism conference on Saturday 8th fascism and the far The humanitarian crisis in Europe October. More than 800 people have right; Love Music will also be discussed, with the already booked to attend the event. Hate Racism; intention of developing an Tackling racism remains one of the and Austerity action plan for activists and key challenges for our society. and the rise in organisations which want to Themes and workshops will include racism. campaign for more to be done Challenging the rise of Islamophobia; This major for refugees. Brexit: oppose racist violence, defend national See advert on back page migrant rights; From the US to conference brings standuptoracism.org.uk Unity September/October 2016 5

Locals gather to show their support for the local migrant community in Harlow Harlow protest after Polish man killed in assault

More than 200 local people police told relatives that the attack started the racists. demonstrated after a suspected racist after the men were heard to speak Polish. A silent vigil was organised by the local attack in the town of Harlow in Essex Police arrested six teenagers on suspicion Polish community the following Saturday. in late August. Stand Up to Racism of taking part in the attack. They have been However two Polish men were attacked called the protest. released on police bail. the same night. Polish migrant Arkadiusz “Arek” Jozwik, Attacks have got worse since the vote In another shocking assault a pregnant a resident of the town, died from head to leave the EU in June, but the majority of Muslim woman was racially abused and injuries after he and a friend were attacked people are disgusted by them which is one attacked in Milton Keynes. She was kicked by a group of people on 27 August. The reason why it is so important to challenge so brutally that she miscarried. Fascists halted in Cardiff

Unite Against Fascism (UAF) organised a demonstration to show solidarity with Muslims outside Cardiff museum on Saturday 10th September. The protest was in opposition to the fascist group Britain First. Three members of the Islamophobic organisation had entered the nearby Al Manar mosque the previous week. Local activist Joe Redmond said that Muslims “have the right to practice without being invaded by thugs.” The fascists were trying to build a local meeting. They had also faced a protest when they called a flashmob in Birmingham the previous week. See our guide on how to deal with local fascist protests at uaf.org.uk/2016/06/what-to-do-if-fascists-do-flashmob-demonstrations-in-your-town Outrage at Burkini ban

Anti-racists around Europe protested after several French resorts banned the “burkini” this summer. The swimsuit that covers the body including the hair is worn by Muslim women, many of whom would otherwise not go swimming in public. Anger increased when footage was shown of armed male French police demanding that a woman remove some of her clothing. The authorities imposing the ban claimed they were defending “secularism”, but the French high court has since declared it illegal. 6 September/October 2016 Unity

Black Lives Matter Campaign Rage at response to miscarriages of justice spreads across Atlantic

This summer the Black Lives Matter movement, protesting at the number of black people who die at the hands of the police, spread to Britain. Zak Cochrane of Stand Up to Racism says this is about more than solidarity with black people in the US

he question of police brutality in the US has once again come Tto the fore following the cold blooded killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile in July. Both of these horrific deaths were captured on video and seen by millions of people across the world via the internet. Sterling and Castile were just two of more than 760 people who had lost their lives at the hands of US police this year by the time we went to press. The disproportionate number of people of colour in that figure has highlighted how persistent the problem of racism is within America’s police force and wider society. Deaths of the unarmed black men hit a chord with many Americans not dissimilar to the response to the killings of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and Eric Garner in New York, both in 2014.

There was an eruption of anger in cities Terry Neil Photo: across the US in July which manifested Black Lives Matter protesters took to the streets of Leeds following the police killings in the US itself in the form of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement where thousands took to around one thousand mostly young was also felt in other towns and cities that, the streets and protested. people marched to the local police station like London, organised Black Lives Matter The anger at police brutality in the US and brought the area to a standstill. By protests at short notice. this summer also spread to towns and Sunday of that same weekend, the protest These included Birmingham, Liverpool, cities across Britain. On Friday 8th July, movement had reached between 3,000 Leeds, Manchester, Bristol, Bradford, just two days after Castile’s shooting was and 5,000 people. This time they marched Huddersfield, Sheffield and Nottingham. streamed live around the world, a solidarity to the US Embassy in central London. Again the demographic was very young protest was organised via social media The feeling of anger at police brutality mainly black people who were angry at site Twitter. The protest organiser was a what they saw as miscarriages of justice in teenager who said she only expected up to the US, but also at their own experiences 100 of her friends and peers to attend. with the police in Britain. Yet within an hour there were up to ‘These demonstrations Indeed, these demonstrations were 1,500 people outside the meeting point about more than just solidarity with on the South Bank in London, most being were about more America’s black population. They were also between 16 and 20 years old. about highlighting issues such as Stop The demonstrators walked through and Search and deaths in police custody Central London shouting “Hands Up, Don’t than just solidarity which disproportionately affect the black Shoot” and “Black Lives Matter”—the communities of Britain. slogans first used in the US founded BLM with America’s black A poignant example of this was the movement. death of Mzee Mohammed who died after The march was quickly followed by a population’ being detained by Merseyside police in second day of protest in Brixton where Liverpool less than a week after the first Unity September/October 2016 7

Protesters in Birmingham in July adopted BLM slogans Geoff Dexter Geoff Photo:

BLM protest had taken place in London. Atkinson after being shot by a police police, but also when they become stuck Mzee Mohammed was just one of Taser in August (see page 4) as well as the in appalling camps such as the “Jungle” more than one thousand deaths in police questions surrounding the effectiveness in Calais and in detention centres across custody since 1969. Speakers on the of the Independent Police Complaints Britain. Black lives must also matter when protests shouted the names of other black Commission (IPCC), the body responsible black people become the victims of racist people who have died while in contact for monitoring the police, is evidence of the harassment and attacks on our streets. with the police, such as Mark Duggan, continued necessity for a Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter should be seen as Sean Rigg, Joy Gardner, Smiley Culture, movement in Britain which responds to the one component of a much broader anti- Christopher Alder, Azelle Rodney, Cynthia particular challenges of racism in Britain. racist movement that we need to build Jarrett and many more. Black lives must matter not just when in our communities, colleges, unions and The Crown Prosecution service black people come into contact with the workplaces. n announced in mid-September that none of the officers concerned with Sean Rigg’s death in 2008 will face prosecution. An inquest in 2012 found police had used “unsuitable” force. There has not been a single successful prosecution against any police officer involved in these deaths despite several verdicts of unlawful killing. The frequency of Black Lives Matter protests has levelled off since July, much like the protests in 2014 did following the killing of Michael Brown. Nevertheless, there has been a concerted attempt by activists to sustain BLM activity by relating to wider questions of racism in Britain. Two successful open meetings were called to discuss future activities. Activists now plan to hold a workshop around Black Lives Matter at the Stand Up To Racism National Conference in October. Protesters in Leeds getting their message across The tragic death of ex-footballer Dalian Terry Neil Photo: 8 September/October 2016 Unity Understanding the Holocaust Visit Krakow and Auschwitz Educational trip organised by Unite Against Fascism

UAF is repeating its successful educational trip to the Auschwitz concentration camp and the city of Krakow in Poland from Thursday 3rd to Monday 7th November 2016. The trip aims to offer a greater understanding of the Holocaust. Students and teachers are particularly welcome. There will be guided tours and talks about the Holocaust, Jewish resistance and fighting fascism today. The cost is £220 waged or £160 student/unwaged. This includes tours, lectures and coach trips, but you have to book your own flight to Krakow. Some trade unions sponsor members to attend.

For more information, please phone the UAF office on 020 8971 7426 or email Jewish prisoners arrive at the Auschwitz death camp in 1944. Many were sent to [email protected] the gas chambers within hours Become a UAF solidarity member Help support Unite Against Fascism’s work with a regular donation of a few pounds a month and become a UAF solidarity member. The regular income from our solidarity members is vital to sustain our campaign against racism and fascism. Send the completed form to: UAF, PO Box 72710, London SW19 9GX Your name �� Occupation ...... Union ...... Your address �� Email ...... Phone �� Standing order mandate This will enable us to set up a standing order with your bank. It can be cancelled at any time simply by informing your bank. I wish to pay Unite Against Fascism by standing order [please tick amount] per month n £5 Solidarity n £10 Solidarity plus n £15 Solidarity super n £20 “They shall not pass” solidarity Monthly payments. First payment to be made on _ _ / _ _ / _ _ _ _ [please fill in date] Bank name �� Bank address �� Account holder’s name �� Account number...... Sort code...... /...... /...... Please pay Unity Trust Bank plc, Nine Brindleyplace, Birmingham B1 2HB, account name ‘WF UAF’, sort code: 60-83-01; account number: 20160522, the sum of the value indicated above Signed ...... Date ��. Unity September/October 2016 9 Protest Anti-racism after Brexit Marches take on racism after vote to leave the European Union

housands of demonstrators gathered in London to protest Tagainst racism and Tory austerity measures, on Saturday 16th July. Stand Up To Racism and the People’s Assembly Against Austerity called the emergency demonstration in the context of the spike in racist abuse and attacks after the referendum on leaving the European Union. The demonstration had a vibrant Black Lives Matter block showing that different anti-racist currents working together. Further demonstrations in August targeted the Islamophobic ban on the “burkini” passed by some French resorts (see page 5). The protest in London brought together Muslims and non-Muslims outside the French embassy in London to defend “a woman’s right to choose”. The anti-racist march in July aimed to unite ordinary people who were outraged by the increase in racism, whether they voted to exit or remain, as well as to demonstrate solidarity with migrants and refugees. Weyman Bennett, Co-Convenor of Stand Up To Racism, said, “They say that people are suffering and I say that is true. They are suffering from joblessness, lack of housing and division. But who is to blame for that? The people to blame for that are the Tories, are the bosses, are the bankers, and that is the truth.” More than 20 coaches brought protesters to London to take part in the march, including demonstrators from as far a field as Newcastle and the North East. The march featured lively student and LGBT+ Against Islamophobia blocs as well as a Black Lives Matter bloc which drew on activists from some of the recent anti-racist marches in London and elsewhere. Sabby Dhalu, Co-Convenor of Stand Up To Racism, said at the rally in Parliament Square, “We have had enough of the Tory government scapegoating immigrants, scapegoating refugees and scapegoating Muslims for their austerity policies. We have had enough of austerity and enough of Thousands of anti-racists gathered in Parliament Square during the demonstration on 16th July (top) after marching racism.” n through central London (above left). Protest against the Burkini ban outside the French embassy in London (above right) 10 September/October 2016 Unity The battle of Cable Street History Mosley’s British Union of Fascists did not pass through Cable Street

The events in London’s East End 80 years ago this month marked a turning point in the fight against fascism in Britain. Ken Olende looks at the various responses to the BUF’s planned march—and how anti-fascists succeeded in stopping it

ritain’s coalition government claimed because of their uniforms. The Daily Mail newspaper that the economic depression was promoted the BUF running the notorious, “Hurrah for Bover as 1936 progressed. But years of the Blackshirts” article in 1934. This looked forward unemployment and austerity had left people in to the fascists developing into, “a well organised many industrial areas in terrible poverty. Fascist party of the right ready to take over responsibility for parties emerged across Europe scapegoating national affairs with the same directness of purpose immigrants for the crisis. The turning point and energy of method as Hitler and Mussolini have in Britain was the Battle of Cable Street in displayed”. London’s East End in the autumn of 1936. Mosley hoped to cement his organisation’s Several fascist groups emerged in Britain after position in national politics with a mass rally at the First World War, inspired by the success of Benito Olympia in West London in 1934. But he also wanted Mussolini in Italy. They attracted people who were to show his willingness to use violence. scared that the British Empire was in decline and A spotlight was trained on any anti-fascists who feared social unrest. They were terrified by the heckled as a gang of uniformed stewards rushed extension of the vote to all adult men and some down to violently eject them. One witness wrote that women. Mosley “held up his speech at each interruption for The most successful was the British Union of periods varying from three to six minutes when he Fascists (BUF) set up by Oswald Mosley in 1932. From could perfectly well have drowned them with a voice an aristocratic background, he had been an MP for made unbearably loud by the amplifiers. Slowly we all both the Conservative Party and Labour. Looking understood that it was done to allow his Blackshirts to back it is easy to see him as the leader of an irrelevant make a thorough mess of the interruptor.” fringe organisation, but at the peak of his influence However, the level of brutality had the opposite he was holding rallies of up to 10,000 people, and had effect to what the fascists had hoped for. People were significant support within the establishment. disgusted by what they saw. It became less possible Mosley’s followers were known as the Blackshirts for mainstream figures to identify with them. The Daily Mail stopped its regular positive coverage. The BUF shifted its focus to poorer areas such as the East End of London—an area of extreme poverty made worse by the Great Depression. It was also an area where Jewish and Irish immigrant groups were concentrated. Both were blamed for poverty and taking peoples jobs. The Jewish community faced extreme anti-Semitism, much of it similar to modern Islamophobia. The Jews were mostly refugees who had fled pogroms in Eastern Europe. Local Conservative MP Major W Evans-Gordon said of them in his book, The Alien Immigrant, in 1903 that, “East of Aldgate one walks into a foreign town. In the by-streets north and south of the main thoroughfares it is an exception to hear the English language spoken. The advertisements on the walls are in Yiddish and written in Hebrew characters.” In some ways it is remarkable how little the language used by racists has changed over the last century. Evans-Gordon was instrumental to the founding British Union of Fascists leader Oswald Mosley inspecting his supporters of the British Brothers League, an anti-immigrant Unity September/October 2016 11

Anti-fascists round one of the barricades in Cable Street that stopped the fascists marching on 4th October 1936 forerunner of the British Union of Fascists, which streets were full and the fascists were only able to spread fear in Jewish areas before the First World War. get down Cable Street because police forced their Phil Piratin, a member of the Communist Party from way through. By 3.40pm the police abandoned their a Jewish background, was one of the organisers of the attempts and escorted Mosley’s 3,000 supporters out East End anti-fascists during the 1930s. In his memoir of the area. about the period, Our Flag Stays Red, he said that the Very few demonstrators came into contact with the fascists appealed to “the worst elements, and the basest fascists. It was police charges trying to clear them off sentiments. Jews were ‘taking away your jobs’. Because of the streets that led to their injuries. the Jews, ‘you had no home’. The Jews were the bosses Demonstrator Max Levitas said, “The police force and the landlords. The capitalist Jew exploited you—the came into Cable Street with their horses and tried to Events to Communist Jew was out to take away your liberties.” throw ordinary people about. But they didn’t get away commemorate the The fascists planned a march through the East End with it. We stayed there even though people were anniversary on 4th October 1936 in four columns as a show of knocked down by batons and by horses.” strength. Over 80 protesters were arrested and more were March and Rally However many people who opposed the fascists injured. Yet as the police withdrew, protestor Joe Speakers include Max Levitas thought that the best thing to do was to ignore them. Jacobs remembered, “All the cafes and other public (Cable St veteran), Jeremy Corbyn The Board of Deputies of British Jews said the BUF places were full of laughing people swapping stories of MP, Rushanara Ali MP, Unmesh march was anti-Semitic but urged Jewish people to their own particular experience of the past few hours.” Desai (GLA member), Frances stay away. The popular Daily Herald newspaper said The battle of Cable Street was a turning point, O’Grady (TUC general secretary), the same, as did the leadership of the Labour Party. though no one at the time thought it was a final Michael Rosen Meanwhile, more than 70,000 people signed a petition defeat for Mosley. Indeed the BUF’s fortunes revived Sunday 9th October Assemble calling for the provocative racist march to be banned. temporarily in 1938 and 1939 as it ran a campaign 12 noon, Altab Ali Park, Despite the pressure to stay away, large numbers against Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi oppression in Whitechapel Road, London E1. of anti-fascists did mobilise to stop the Blackshirts. Germany, but it never came close to getting mass March to a rally at St George’s They took their slogan, “They shall not pass” from Spain, support again. Gardens, Cable Street. where masses of people had risen up to resist General Jewish service men returning to Hackney after Franco’s coup earlier in the year. the war were shocked to find Mosley still organising Exhibition: The Battle Of When it was clear which way the police intended to around the markets of east London. Fascist Cable Street take the fascists a lorry was overturned in Cable Street organisations were marginalised, but racism still had to The Idea Store, Watney Market, to stop them passing. One of the demonstrators, Julie be challenged. 260 Commercial Road E1 2FB. Gershon, recalled, “I think that Mosley was supposed to The fascists would always try and scapegoat 28th September to 18th October come along at eleven o’clock, but thousands of people new immigrants. Mosley was active in the 1950s in 9am-9pm Monday to Saturday were there early in the morning. They might have organising against West Indian immigrants round (plus special opening after march reached the beginning of Cable Street but they didn’t Notting Hill, in West London. on 9th October). Organised by the get down there. People were throwing things out of The tactic used at Cable Street of bringing people Cable Street Group. their windows. Anything to build up the barricades so together to stand up against racism has been needed they couldn’t pass.. There were Jews and Irish, the lot. again and again, with the Anti Nazi League challenging For details of these and other Everyone was down there.” the National Front in the 1970s and 1990s and Unite events go to Up to 300,000 came to support the protest. The Against Fascism taking on the BNP more recently. n cablestreet80.org.uk 12 September/October 2016 Unity Trade Unionists 4 Calais Blog Refugees in the ‘Jungle’ camp remain hopeful despite attacks

As the French government ups its attempts to destroy the refugee camp near Calais, a blog by Lucy Cox, who visited as part of a group of British teachers in August, shows the reality of the refugees’ plight and their struggle for a better life

he background to our visit to the Jungle unofficial camp this Tsummer was the news that the French authorities had decided in their wisdom to close all the shops and cafes in the bustling main street of the camp. For me, the greatest insult was to the unaccompanied kids that use the Jungle Books Kids Cafe. Here the kids, who are fed and cared for by a dedicated group of volunteers and supported by donations from voluntary organisations and individuals, were about to sit down to a meal. The police decided this was not going to happen and emptied the cooked food into bin bags in front of the hungry kids and dismayed volunteers. So I spent the 48 hours before we left drafting a letter to The Guardian newspaper and begging people to sign Teachers from Britain ran classes in the ‘Jungle’ camp it. Some important people such as author Lucy Cox Photos: Michael Rosen and the former NUT general secretary Christine Blower were prepared more unrelentingly violent than it already is. were choosing to learn French than when I to put their names to the letter. Which was To be entirely honest we were not visited previously. great. But felt it like a drop in the ocean. hopeful about the way things would play But before long Yusuf and Lucy were The residents of the “Jungle” know that out with the shops and cafes, but felt that team-teaching a group of Sudanese guys, volunteers are there wanting to help and fighting hard for the Kids Cafe was essential. with no interactive smartboard, no flashy that without them their treatment at the Arriving in Calais on the evening of resources; just a blackboard, chalk and the hands of the CRS riot police would be even the 10th, we headed straight for the Care students’ exercise books. These students 4 Calais warehouse to deliver a moses were amazing, picking up new vocabulary basket, baby clothes and two huge boxes really fast and wanting to keep practicing it. of the packs given to new mothers in the As a teacher it was really exciting work. maternity wards containing a few nappies, No Ofsted, no management “learning walks” wipes and bum cream for the brand new just learning and lots of it. At one point one baby boy who had been born a few days of the students bent his head forward and before and the baby who was due any day. rested it on the edge of the table, and I was It was nice to have something so reminded that he had probably been up hopeful to think about when we arrived in most of the night and returned to sleep in the camp next morning. It was wet and dull damp, cold conditions. and the camp was waking up after another But he gave himself a little shudder hard night of chasing lorries. and refocused on the lesson. On weekday But already the school was full. More afternoons, volunteers from the school put chairs and tables were being set up for on high-vis jackets and trekked through the conversational groups as a French class waste land into the part of the camp set was in full swing in the compound. It was aside for families. The Salaam centre houses Celebrating a year since the Jungle’s school opened noticeable that many more of the refugees women and kids, but if they have a dad Unity September/October 2016 13 they have to live in the caravans. These are not the nice holiday lets you might have seen lined up at the seaside. They are decrepit. Most have holes in the side and windows boarded up with cardboard. During the afternoon, the heat was cooking the contents of the chemical toilets. The smell was awful. A gaggle of kids was escorted back to the school, as a few lucky ones raced ahead on bikes, to the classroom, which is really well-resourced, albeit in a fairly haphazard manner. There were two teachers qualified to teach a class of kids ranging in age from two-and-a-half (I know!) to about 13. I am English, the other is French, and we had just met! So we sat the children down in rows and my French colleague taught maths to the older kids and I did what I know best and played with the younger ones. The children also had a range of first languages, so that added to the fun! It was very quickly clear just how difficult life is, and has been for some time, for these children. Classes were run without modern equipment, but with real enthusiasm from both teachers and pupils Before long there were two fights. We broke them up and settled the kids down don their high-vis and trek back through me, still had somewhere safe to go and again. As each fight broke out the other the wasteland, herding the kids back to people who could care for them. children all started shouting: “No Fight!” their “homes”. Marco has created and kept running, I think they’d seen enough violence. But The next day we returned to teach against all the odds, a remarkable place. there was no escaping the fact that these the adults. My son Sean, 12 years old, was The school is packed every day with adult kids desperately need security and safety acting as a classroom assistant for another students who sit for hours hoovering up all and care. teacher. the knowledge they can get. Marco is one of the very few consistent Marco led me to a group of students He told me that he has to turn people adults in their lives. He is a father figure deep into a French lesson. He pointed away at weekends, including the kids who to all the kids. He has developed a kind, out a young Afghani boy in the centre of value the school as one of the few places but firm manner with them. He listens to the group. “He is 12, like your boy… He is they can be kids. For it is here that they are their complaints and talks to anyone who alone.” fed and given clothes and allowed to draw behaves badly. I looked at Marco and he looked at me. pictures and bounce and paint. The cry of “Marco, Marco” was heard We both have sons around that age and I The school runs so smoothly with again and again from the kids appealing could tell he was as upset as me about it. volunteers slotting in and working together to him for food, drinks, help and simple We both swallowed and took deep breaths. to make sure everyone has a teacher in the attention. A few moments later my phone buzzed language they want to learn. Increasingly After painting and a snack of pastries with a message: It was Neha from The this is French. and juice the kids had a chance to play Jungle Books Kids Cafe; “Have you heard? Another volunteer told us she’d taught outside with another group who had come All the shops and cafes are safe!” a guy who had been granted asylum in to do “circus skills” with them. Again it was As soon as I said it the word was spread France and moved to Paris, but still travelled difficult for some of the kids to relax and around; there were smiles and a few tears back to the school to get lessons and share the hoops and ribbons. of joy to know that the kids who were friendship. That’s how good the school is. Then it was time for the volunteers to alone, like the boy sitting a few feet from Marco told us about his plans to raise money to build a centre for the women and kids next to the school. He needs 10,000 euros to do it. There is a visible need for this as no new structures are being allowed on the other side of the camp. There are lots of concrete ways you can support Marco’s school, such as volunteer; raise money; bring food/shoes/clothes; set up a direct debit from your union branch; get regular collections in your workplace (my school has parents doing this, I took Marco 200 euros). n

For the full blog go to standuptoracism.org.uk/2016/09/ A message to the world from one of the refugees teachers-visit-jungle-camp-10-12th-august-2016 14 September/October 2016 Unity

Anniversary Rock Against Racism A rebel musical movement broke down fear and took on racism

Forty years ago this month music fans fought back against racist comments from top musicians by launching an anti-racist movement in music. One of the founders of Rock Against Racism, Red Saunders, spoke to Ken Olende about what happened

In the summer of 1976 the fascist National Front (NF) was growing and there was a general rise in racism across Britain. But it was a rant from guitarist Eric Clapton who had just had a hit with a cover of Bob Marley’s “I shot the Sheriff” that got Rock Against Racism started. How did that happen?

We were sitting around in my photographic studio in Great Windmill Street, Soho, in the August 1976. I was in a radical theatre group called Kartoon Klowns and that was where we rehearsed. Someone came in all angry with the new issue of Melody Maker and said “Have you seen this about Eric Clapton?”. During a concert in Birmingham he’d said that he supported top racist Enoch John Sturrock Photo: Powell and foreigners should get out of the Rock Against Racism brought together black and white musicians and fans to counter racism in music country. What we read was terrible, but since The same summer David Bowie said in under a regimental leadership…Adolf then I’ve heard a tape of what he said. It an interview with Playboy magazine, Hitler was one of the first rock stars… was far worse. He said, “Throw the wogs “I think Britain could benefit from a You’ve got to have an extreme right out! Keep Britain white!” He kept going on fascist leader. After all, fascism is really front come up and sweep everything about “wogs”. nationalism… I believe very strongly off its feet and tidy everything up.” I was shocked. I was a fan. I’d bought the in fascism, people have always albums and I’d seen him play. responded with greater efficiency Yes. I think Bowie was out of his head at the time but we had to stamp on him. He couldn’t get away with that stuff. At least it. Own up. Half your music is black. he later retracted it and went on to make It started with a You’re rock music’s biggest colonist. a donation to the Anti Nazi League. But I You’re a good musician but where don’t believe Clapton ever apologised for letter would you be without Blues and R&B? what he said. You’ve got to fight the racist poison I’d been in political theatre groups This is the letter Red and his friends otherwise you degenerate into the since 1964, performing about racism and sent that kicked off Rock Against sewer with the rats and the money apartheid and against war. Racism. men who ripped off rock culture with I was a mod. I was really into black their cheque books… music—more R&B than the blues. In the ‘When we read about Eric Clapton’s We want to organise a rank and file 1960s I used to work at the Marquee Club Birmingham concert when he urged movement against the racist poison collecting empty glasses. You hardly got support for Enoch Powell, we nearly music. We urge support for Rock paid anything, but it got you free entry. puked. Come on Eric… you’ve been Against Racism. You could meet the musicians, We had a taking too much of the Daily Express Ps: Who shot the Sheriff, Eric? It sure wonderful evening in the pub once with stuff and you know you can’t handle as hell wasn’t you!’. the blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon. When I was an apprentice photographer Unity September/October 2016 15 one of my closest friends was a Caribbean motorcycle dispatch rider. There was that whole sixties progressive anti-racist angle. We thought Clapton was part of that. That’s why it was such a shock to hear him coming out with the foulest rubbish. That’s why we exploded when we heard about it. I don’t want to try and get inside his head to work out how he could say that while he was playing that music, but people have muddled, mixed up, alienated ideas. I’ve never been one for writing letters, but after a day of thinking I sat down and wrote a letter. It was signed by me and my friend the graphic designer Roger Huddle and some of the theatre group. We sent it to all the music press—like Black Echoes, NME, Melody Maker, Sounds— and the socialist press—including the Morning Star and Socialist Worker. We got letter of the week in Melody Maker—they sent me an album token. We’d put a PO Box number and to our complete amazement, within a few weeks we had 400 or 500 replies. It was completely bonkers, but we thought, “Now we’ve got to do something”. Don’t ever think writing letters is a waste of time. Rock Against Racism wouldn’t have happened without that. We decided we’d better put on a gig. I was doing a lot of photographs for the music press then. At that time pub rock was a big thing and I was a fan—bands John Sturrock Photo: like Bees Make Honey and Ace. They were The march from Trafalgar Square to the Carnival in 1978 exactly what the name says—they played rock in pubs. dockers union to do security. I remember that?” It was the ICA, in central London, The first gig we did was with Carol putting up the banner onstage. The which was an art venue, so I didn’t know Grimes. She was pub rock. In fact she was banners came from the other side of our what to expect. The Clash were on and it benefit rock. She did more benefits than sixties background. Agitation. We loved was incredible. They were wearing amazing anyone I knew. She’d say she was a blues artists from Alexander Rodchenko and clothes. I went backstage and met them. singer. Andy Warhol. Before long we’d be asking them to play Roger Huddle said we need to do gigs So the gig was a success and it for us. in east London where the NF were. So we snowballed quickly. It very quickly became our thing to booked the Princess Alice pub in Forest That October, I was asked by NME to do mix up the bands. We had to have black Gate. We got some socialists from the some pictures of punk rock. I said, “What’s bands on stage. That was a more important priority than having black people in the audience because we were fighting racism coming in to the letter I among white people. RAR logo went “We need a logo”, But putting the black and white bands before thinking about together broke down the fear. One of The RAR star a magazine or a the most wonderful gigs we did was at soon appeared manifesto. Hackney Town Hall. on everything— I was a freelance We had the reggae band the Cimarons posters and badges. photographer for on with the punk act Generation X. I think badges are the Sunday Times Everyone jammed together at the end. It so important. Show magazine, which David became the blueprint. what you think on the King designed. He was one We got letters from all over. They’d say tube. of the top designers in the something like, “I’m Tommy and I live in Have an argument even country and a good anti-racist. Aberystwyth and we’ve got an NF teacher. though that’s frightening. You might He came up with that star. And a I hate racism and I like RAR. Can you please get your head whacked in, but it works year or two later he came back with the help us?” I’d write back and say, “That’s As soon as the response started Anti Nazi League arrow. fantastic Tommy. You are RAR Aberystwyth. We’ve got nothing to give you. All the 16 September/October 2016 Unity

luck!” We sent those letters all over. In the big cites we found some brilliant Our fanzine people, like Paul Furness who set up Leeds RAR club. That was an area where the Nazi The first issue of RAR’s National Front were really strong. Then you magazine Temporary Hoarding had Manchester where I met a wonderful said what we were about, working class woman in Hulme. “ We want Rebel music, street And the whole thing built up over a music. Music that breaks down couple of years. And you can’t talk about people’s fear of one another. it all without talking about the anti-Nazi Crisis music. Now music. demonstration in Lewisham a year later Music that knows who the and the launch of the Anti Nazi League real enemy is. Rock against (ANL). Until that we’d been small and local. Racism. Love Music Hate After that it went really national. But really Racism.” that’s a story that deserves to be told in We thought it was more detail, so I’ll save it for another day. important to have some kind When we decided to have a Carnival of publication to say what we in 1978 that was a whole new adventure. were about. Now as the punk We thought it had to be in the heart of NF rock movement grew all these territory—that’s why we held it in Victoria fanzines appeared. Park in east London. I’d seen the most famous Some people like Dave Widgery felt one, called Sniffin Glue. We we didn’t need the ANL, but I thought it mixed that with Chinese wall was important. If there was a carnival, who posters that I knew about. was leafleting the local factory? Who was These were newspapers designed looked good and got booking the coaches? Who was getting to be pasted on a wall. They were a our message across quickly. trade union money? Suddenly we had temporary hoarding, just intended to Luckily we had a lot of people who money and that let us book huge venues. last for a bit. were very good at visual images. Where are you going to get £10,000 to So that’s what we based our Ruth Gregory and Syd Shelton book the PA? magazine on and why we called it were earning their living as graphic At first we were expecting 10,000 but Temporary Hoarding. And quite often designers. So was Roger Huddle. I was we got closer to 100,000. We marched we literally designed it as a poster a photographer. David Widgery was from Trafalgar Square. The police said no so you could paste it on a wall. We writing for Oz. one would do that. My favourite moment wanted lots of visual images. There was no internet. We relied was at the Blade Bone pub on Bethnal The left is too wordy sometimes. on posters and stickers. The city was Green Road which was a big NF haunt To this day, if I go to an anti-racist covered in posters. at the time. They came out and were rally or a trade union meeting and On top of that we relied on the all Sieg Heiling as we went past. But we there are nine speakers on the music press. Journalists such as Vivien just went on going past for 10 minutes, platform, I think, “Give me a break! Put Goldman would always tell people 20 minutes—thousands and thousands on two speakers and a DJ, please.” what were up to. And the NME’s editor strong—so the fascists lost spirit and We wanted to do something that Neil Spencer was a supporter. went back inside. But the old Jewish lady from the Reminiscences of RAR Rocking Against Racism 1976-1979 Edited by Roger Huddle and Red Saunders For six years—from 1976-1981—RAR was at the centre of a cultural movement against racism and the NF. From 1978 it was partnered with both the Anti Nazi League and School Kids Against the Nazis. This book brings together the reminiscences of activists and supporters during the period. From many backgrounds and ages, musician and audience, Punk and Rasta, street fighter and pogo dancer, united with a single aim—to Rock Against Racism. £14.99 paperback 144 pages. Published this November by Redwords, redwords.org.uk l Distributed by Turnaround, turnaround-uk.com Available from Bookmarks, 1 Bloomsbury Street, London WC1B 3QE l 020 7637 1848 l bookmarksbookshop.co.uk Unity September/October 2016 17 Photo: John Sturrock Photo: Rock Against Racism organised carnivals around the country such as Leeds in 1981

tobacconist stayed to watch all the time we Punk was great for that. should get Reminiscences of RAR, the book went by—so pleased to see us. We beat the NF out on the streets and that I’m putting out with Roger Huddle with the power of culture. (see advert opposite). But also look at Syd What can someone who is 17 now and This resistance is in our history and Shelton’s book of photographs Rock Against wants to fight racism learn from RAR? our tradition. But it is really hidden. That’s Racism (Autograph, £30) and read Daniel why I’ve been doing a series of photos Rachel’s new book, Walls Come Tumbling It’s up to them. But I still support the old recreating hidden bits of our history. I call Down: The Music and Politics of Rock Against 1960s slogan, “All power to the imagination”. them Hidden to remind people, we’re not Racism, 2 Tone and Red Wedge (Autograph, You’ve got to do it yourself with your own mad for thinking things can change. £25) that has all the details and all the culture. It’s got to be bottom up and DIY. If people want to know more they dates. n Join Stand Up to Racism today Become a supporter of Stand Up to Racism and/or make a donation to help with our campaigning work. Send the completed form to: Stand Up to Racism, PO Box 72710, London SW19 9GX. You can also join or donate at standuptoracism.org.uk/donate

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Local groups How to organise against racism and fascism in the area you live in

by Julia Armstrong

he response of British trade unionists to racism and attacks Ton asylum seekers and refugees shows the potential for setting up local Unite Against Fascism and Stand Up to Racism groups. Both campaigns are already supported by several national unions and Facebook groups such as Trade Unionists 4 Calais have been taking aid on solidarity visits. Here, two trade unionists in the North West share their experience of organising anti-racist work among members. Manchester is one area that has built local links John Morgan, general secretary of the NUT’s Manchester Teachers’ Association, that are allowed into our country, turn up in BMA council chair Dr Mark Porter wrote sends out information to 3,500 members their schools. They try to integrate and help condemning the action of the French about anti-racist and anti-fascist activities. them and their families. authorities in refusing to let the aid through. He said that they had a good response “We put out a lot of information about Megan is really pleased with the to a call to send aid to the ‘Jungle’ refugee refugees and asylum seekers for members response that campaigning has had at all camp in Calais. about ‘what you can do to help’.” levels in the BMA, including the national “A couple of members really went Because the union has a political leadership. overboard to get involved in collecting fund, the Manchester branch could “We have a new junior doctors’ chair books and clothes for Calais. They raised actively support Unite Against Fascism’s who wants us to be doing more asylum their game for the Convoy to Calais last campaigning against former British seeker and refugee action.“ June. National Party leader Nick Griffin when Megan said that the junior doctors’ “We got teachers to send everything to he stood for re-election to the European action has made it easier to take up our office and it was packed up by some Parliament in the North West seat. concerns not directly linked to work issues members of Stand Up to Racism.” Liverpool junior doctor Megan Parsons, in the union. “Because of the strikes, people He added: “We’ve been involved in currently studying tropical medicine, has are discussing broader politics more.” Stand Up to Racism. We’ve done quite a taken up anti-racist issues in her union, the It does have a direct link to the NHS, too. bit in terms of speaking at their meetings British Medical Association (BMA). The way that migrants are scapegoated and trying to get publicity for them. We She said: “We started with having an can affect their health, including people put details up on Facebook and try to get NHS block on the Stand Up to Racism who are already under the care of British support going.” demonstration on 19th March. Doctors, healthworkers. The union banner is taken nurses and students organised that. “How the BMA is acting now, I’m proud on anti-racist demonstrations “Off the back of that, we got to be in it,” said Megan. “There are some and photographs are posted better contacts with the BMA and people who aren’t used to a union and what on social media. other doctors who are keen. they do. If you post on the BMA groups that John said many teachers “We got motions passed at issues around refugees and asylum seekers would like to get more the junior doctors’ conference are important, they don’t see how we should involved but the huge almost unanimously, calling to organise around that. They say ‘you should demands put upon them accept more refugees and doing just deal with my specific job’. make that difficult. The issue is more to help refugees in the UK “Then you can discuss with them and close to their hearts, though. and agreed to working with say it’s partly because they could become “When I’ve spoken to campaign groups.” our patients and within a global scale we members, we’re on Four doctors are looking at their health and well-being. the frontline. These joined the Convoy You have to persuade some people a bit poor kids, the few Dr Megan Parsons to Calais and but we’re getting there.” n Unity September/October 2016 19 Colleges Students back Stand Up to Racism and Unite Against Fascism

tanding up to racism is a key challenge for students. Across Future Events SEurope refugees have been left to 8th October 10.30am-4.30pm drown, locked out by border fences or Student Session at SUTR conference (see left in squalid camps such as in Calais. advert on back page) We’ve also seen racism come to the fore October elsewhere—from Donald Trump and police Black History Month brutality in the US to the rise in reported race hate crimes in Britain. November Student Stand Up to Racism (SUTR) aims Islamophobia Awareness Month to bring together students who want to Thursday 3rd - Monday 7th November confront racism, Islamophobia and anti- Unite Against Fascism educational trip to Semitism. Auschwitz concentration camp (see advert Last year, we organised several convoys page 8) to the refugee camp in Calais, raising Saturday 19th November thousands of pounds for refugees in the Stand Up to Racism bloc at United for process. We’ve also been involved in the Education national demo organised by UCU Black Lives Matter protests in Britain, as well and NUS as mobilising for the UN anti-racism day Saturday 3rd December demonstrations. Winter convoy to Calais organised by Stand Both the NUS and NUS Black Students Up to Racism conferences voted to work with SUTR to Friday 27th January 2017 confront racism. Holocaust Memorial Day Our campuses and colleges have been Students on the No to Racism, No More Austerity demo crucial places to challenge racism and Islamophobia—from the large number Edinburgh College, explains how students forcing the management to remove of students who have shown solidarity and staff can play a key role in driving back references to Prevent from staff training, with refugees, to resistance to the Prevent the Islamophobic agenda: after we had threatened a boycott. agenda that targets Muslim students. “In August this year, staff at Edinburgh “We don’t want to turn our students into Penny Gower, a trade unionist at College won an important victory by suspects. There should be the space for them to raise concerns about such things as British foreign policy without fear. It’s safety, Europe’s leaders have sought important we’ve stopped Prevent for now Refugees welcome to block the routes and ramp up but we need other places to follow suit.” racism at home. Throughout this academic year, we are However, the movement in planning a diary of action to strengthen The response of governments solidarity with refugees has involved the fight against racism. If you are a student across Europe to the refugee crisis hundreds of thousands of people. who wants to get involved with SUTR, you continues to horrify anti-racists Last year on 18th June, we can set up a society on your campus. everywhere—whether it was David co‑organised an aid convoy to We want to create a network of Cameron’s “bunch of migrants” slur, Calais—over 250 vehicles took part, anti-racists who can respond quickly to or the daily violence meted out to and thousands of pounds in aid was racism—whether it’s the drowning of refugees across Europe. collected. Disgracefully the British and refugees in the Mediterranean or the Thousands have died trying to French authorities colluded to stop Burkini ban in France. cross the seas towards Europe— us crossing the border. They said we Email us at studentstanduptoracism@ fleeing war, poverty and repression. would “aid the intrusion of migrants”. gmail.com and contact us on Facebook. Since the photo of the dead three- But we won’t give up—join the The more students we have working year-old Alan Kurdi shook the world, Student Stand up to Racism convoy together on campuses, the more rather than helping refugees reach to Calais on Saturday 3rd December. successfully we can Stand Up to Racism. Get involved today! n 20 September/October 2016 Unity

US Civil Rights Movement Freedom Summer When black people demanded to be allowed to vote in Mississippi

In the seventh part of our history of the US Civil Rights movement, Julia Armstrong looks at the Freedom Summer of 1964 when volunteers campaigned in Mississippi to make sure that black people were allowed to take part in politics

ivil rights activists launched what was later dubbed the CFreedom Summer in the southern state of Mississippi in 1964 to try to achieve the integration of the political system. At the time, only 7% of black people who had the right to vote in Mississippi were registered to vote. But while the civil rights volunteers kept to their ideal of non-violence, the white racists defending the apartheid “Jim Crow” regime used extreme violence. Between 16th June and 30th September, there were at least six murders, 29 shootings, 50 bombings, more than 60 beatings and more than 400 arrests of project workers and supporters. The previous winter, two key organisations, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), had Freedom Summer volunteers set out to register local people to vote in Mississippi begun recruiting hundreds of mainly white college students from northern US states activists were murdered, kidnapped and such as the Klan who opposed Civil Rights to spend the summer in Mississippi. tortured and car bombs were planted on activities, though. The state senator and Hundreds of African-American families their vehicles. governor publicly flouted integration laws, welcomed volunteers to stay in their On day one of the Freedom Summer and banned picketing and leafleting. The homes. Around 1,500 volunteers included in June, three volunteers, black Mississippi sheriff’s and police departments were students, lawyers, medical staff and clergy, resident James Chaney, aged 21, and hugely expanded with personnel and more working alongside paid staff from several two white men from New York, Andrew weapons. civil rights groups. Goodman, 20, and Michael Schwerner, 24, Local business leaders formed citizens’ They headed a registration drive among went missing. councils to punish local residents who African-American voters, set up a new All three were kidnapped, shot and killed took part in the Freedom Summer. Workers political party, the Mississippi Freedom by the Ku Klux Klan and their bodies were lost their jobs, homeowners had their Democratic Party (MDFP), and taught buried in a dam close to a church where a mortgages foreclosed, customers were history and politics in Freedom Schools. Freedom School had been set up to train banned from stores and food banks for Black people in Mississippi were not volunteers. poor people were shut down. allowed to take part in Democratic Party The search for the men grabbed Only a few hundred new black voters events to choose presidential candidates, national media attention until their bodies successfully registered to vote but the so the Freedom Summer activists were found in August, so that many harassment and reprisals that resulted challenged the right of an all-white Americans had to confront the issues became the focus of a lot of media delegation to represent the state at the involved for the first time. attention. party’s National Convention that August. Schwerner’s wife and fellow volunteer A public outcry finally forced the As had happened throughout the civil Rita said that if only the black volunteer government to introduce the Civil Rights rights struggle, the activists had to face Chaney had disappeared, it wouldn’t even Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of a violent reaction to their activities. They have been in the news. 1965. knew their lives could be on the line -- It wasn’t just white extremist groups In all, more than 60,000 black Mississippi Unity September/October 2016 21

A group of Freedom Summer volunteers sing ‘We Shall Overcome’ before setting out from Oxford, Ohio, to campaign in Mississippi residents risked their lives to attend and other buildings in more than 40 was forced to react by bringing in new meetings, choose candidates, and vote in a communities to teach people of all ages laws and many new activists were created, Freedom Election that ran at the same time about black history, social issues and learning a host of new skills in the tough as the official 1964 elections. leadership skills, as well as literacy and school of racist America. At least 62,000 people managed to vote maths. They attracted more than 2,000 However, the brutality of what they in the alternative poll, despite shootings, students, taught by 175 teachers. had endured took its toll, too. Many civil beatings, intimidation and arrests. They Community centres were also created rights activists came to feel that traditional outnumbered Democratic Party voters in to provide access to childcare, library books, political routes were closed to them,. They many areas. food, medical assistance and other services would have to find other ways to gain The Mississippi Freedom Democratic that people living in black areas had no freedom and equality. Party was open to anyone, black or white, access to. Leaders such as Stokely Carmichael of who supported its platform. Members The Freedom Summer helped to expose SNCC started looking more to the ideas of chose their own delegation to the to the rest of America and the world radical leader Malcolm X rather than the Democratic National Convention and exactly what life was like for black people non-violence of Martin Luther King. hoped it would be recognised as the living in southern states like Mississippi. Many of the volunteers went on to take legitimate voice of Democrats in The US state leading roles in anti-war, women’s and gay Mississippi. rights organisations. The MDFP appeared at the They included Freedom Democratic National Convention School teacher Chude Pam in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in order Parker Allen, who helped to contest the right of an all-white organise women’s liberation delegation to represent the state groups in New York and San when black residents had been Francisco, and Barney Frank, who systematically excluded from worked in one of the campaign any meetings held to choose offices, and who became one of candidates. Their case was the first openly gay politicians in broadcast nationally. the US Congress. Inevitably, following a nine- But the Civil Rights movement month legal battle, the MDFP continued as the voting rights delegation was not recognised by campaign marched from Selma the party leaders and was refused in 1965. And Martin Luther King the right to take seats at the would continued to fight against convention. discrimination right up to his Volunteers set up Freedom assassination in Memphis in 1968, as Schools in churches, shops FBI poster for three missing volunteers. They were later found murdered. we will see in future columns. n 22 September/October 2016 Unity Black History Arthur Wharton ‘I’ve never seen a save like it!’: the first black professional footballer

Despite being the world’s first black professional footballer and an amazing athlete Arthur Wharton died a forgotten man. As part of our coverage of Black History Month Phil Turner tells his story, and celebrates a great athlete

RTHUR Wharton became the first black the PR machine proffered newspaper headlines in fully professional footballer when he exchange, never shied away from a fight. Phil Vasili, Asigned for Rotherham Town 127 years his biographer, said, “At an athletics meet he was ago in August 1889. But he ended up down lying down in a marquee on a rolled up carpet out of the pit— and on the picket line with other view when he overheard a couple of his competitors miners at the time of the 1926 General Strike. complaining about having to run against a n....r. Possessed of astonishing skills in more than one Arthur jumped up and said: ‘If you two gentlemen do area of sporting life, Arthur was not only a talented not wish to race me you can always box me.” goalkeeper for the likes of Preston North End, Sheffield The two declined the offer. United and Rotherham Town, but an amazing athlete But Arthur also faced racism at football matches. As and fighter against racism. He was the first 100 yards Vasili notes, “Often at football matches he was singled world record holder, covering the distance in ten out for special treatment and came in for a lot of seconds in 1886 wearing pigskin shoes on a shingle abuse from the crowd more than others on the field, track. and you get an impression that was due to his colour. But after battling against racism all his life he “It is recorded at one match that he was beaten died in poverty in 1930 aged 65 and was buried in a with umbrellas when he left the field. It was a rough pauper’s grave. game and there was more violence on the field than Family and drink problems seem to have today but it does seem he came in for hard treatment. contributed to his retirement from sport aged 36. He …[and he] was often referred to as ‘Darkie’ Wharton then worked as a haulage worker at Yorkshire Main both in the press and by the crowds.” Colliery in Edlington near Rotherham where he was Arthur would almost certainly have been on strike a member of the Miners’ Federation of Great Britain, in 1926. forerunner to the National Union of Mineworkers. Vasili went on, “What is known is that he was a Arthur, who played in charity matches long before member of the miners’ federation, and although there is nothing to establish he took part, there is no evidence that he was a scab, which would have been documented in such a strong mining area. “He was also involved in a pay dispute while at Stockport and Rotherham and he was always quite active in standing up for his rights and it can be assumed that continued in his working life outside of football. He had definitely had a sense of his own worth.” Wharton was clearly a showman, popular with team-mates and loved by fans, as this letter to the Sheffield Telegraph and Independent, 12th January 1942, shows, “In a match between Rotherham and Sheffield Wednesday at Olive Grove I saw Wharton jump, take hold of the cross bar, catch the ball between his legs and cause three on-rushing forwards…to fall into the net. I have never seen a similar save since and I have been watching football for over 50 years.” But for a long time Arthur’s story was never told. Former Manchester United and Nottingham Forest star Viv Anderson said of him, “When I saw the A 5m high statue of Arthur was unveiled at the Burton Upon Trent national football centre in 2014 exhibition on him at the National Football Museum Unity September/October 2016 23

I was totally flabbergasted. I couldn’t believe he’s barely Darlington Football Club. As a result he was selected to heard of today after achieving so much. And you’d play as goalkeeper in a professional capacity—the first think I’d be one of the first to know about him. step to becoming the first black professional football “There’s a connection between us that will never player. be broken. He was the first black professional and He was also a brilliant professional cricketer, playing I was the first to win a full cap. I’m honoured to be for teams in Yorkshire and Lancashire. In cycling he set associated with him. Arthur’s story is an important part a record time in 1887 for riding between Preston and of that English football culture, and he should be more Blackburn and he also enjoyed rugby. celebrated.” Selected to play for Newcastle and District Team Arthur’s career lasted about 16 years and also in 1885-86 Arthur soon became a favourite with the included spells at Sheffield United and Stockport North-East fans. He often entertained the crowds by County, during which period he won the unofficial title crouching in the corner of the goal area, only saving as “the best goalkeeper in the north”. the ball at the last minute, or doing pull-ups on the Mind you such were the wages that to supplement cross-bars and catching the ball between his knees. his club income Arthur ran two Rotherham pubs. In 1886 Arthur moved to Preston North End—then Shaun Campbell, who set up the Arthur Wharton the giants of football—where he played in the FA Foundation, said about him: Cup semi-final of 1887. Arthur went on to play for “The man was a phenomenon. The ironic thing is, Rotherham Town, Sheffield United, Stalybridge Rovers back then you needed to be tough and of strong and Ashton Northend. His career came to an end character of mind to be in goal. You could be at Stockport County in the Second Division in harassed, harangued, bullied, hustled off 1901-02. the ball. Often the on-rushing forwards In a BBC television feature about Arthur on would barge into the goalkeeper so the magazine programme Inside Out in 2013 team-mates could score, and that was Lisa Sultanti of Football Unites, Racism Divides legal in the day. But because no-one could gave examples where Arthur is described as catch him, Arthur would run up the pitch having “monkey-type” features and the racism and get two or three goals himself.” he faced in his sporting life is at the heart of Arthur was born on 28th October 1865 explaining why Arthur was airbrushed out in Jamestown on the Gold Coast, of history. Quite simply he has been West Africa, which is now known written out of football’s history as Accra, Ghana. His father was because he was black. Henry Wharton, a Methodist But Arthur was also a victim Minister who was half- of society’s hypocrisy over Grenadian and half-Scottish its moral values when a while his mother, Annie relationship while married Florence Egyriba, was a to his first wife contributed Ghanaian princess. Arthur to his fall from grace. His was sent to England Rotherham-born grand- by his father to be daughter Sheila Leeson trained as a missionary discovered through teacher. But his talent research that Arthur had between the posts and been married to the sister speed on the athletics of her grandmother. Arthur track were first spotted had a relationship with when he was at college Sheila’s grandmother and near Darlington. He also she had borne him three went on to play professional children, one of whom was cricket, both codes of rugby Sheila’s mother. and cycle. Arthur retired from his Shocking as it seems prestigious footballing career in today, newspaper 1902 after a downward spiral and coverage casually referred to drinking. Sheila’s grandmother was him as “nigger” or “darkie”. Though also banished by her family. many called for Arthur to play Sixty-seven years after his Further reading football for England, racism in the death, Arthur’s unmarked grave in sport meant it would be another Edlington has been fully restored The First Black Footballer: Arthur 100 years before Anderson became thanks to the Sheffield United-based Wharton, 1865-1930 —An the first black player to do so. project Football Unites Racism Absence of Memory by Phil Vasili, Arthur became a working class Divides and author Vasili. Sheila published by Frank Cass. ISBN hero in northern England. Though went to Ghana and discovered paperback: 978-0714644592 he had every intention of following Arthur’s huge family and she hardback: 978-0714649030. in his father’s footsteps when he visited her great grandfather’s arrived, aged just 19, in 1882 at church and Arthur’s school. Read more at Football Unites, Cleveland College, Durham, studying In 2003 Arthur Wharton Racism Divides’ (FURD) dedicated soon came second to his sporting prowess. was inducted into The National website at Arthur‘s football skills came to the notice of Arthur Wharton in 1896 Football Museum’s Hall of Fame. n arthurwharton.info Themes will include: l From the US to l Europe and the Britain—Black renewed threat of l Challenging Lives Matter fascism and the far the rise of l Refugees welcome right Islamophobia here l Love Music Hate l Brexit: oppose l Prevent, the Racism racist violence, Extremism Bill and l Austerity and the defend migrant the defence of civil rise in racism rights liberties

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