Double bill on hidden Black history in London streets AND music from Mississippi Blues boats to Manchester Gospel,Rock and Roll trains
This event is organised by Black History Walks as part of 61 years since 1965 the first ever Race Relations Act, 20 years of the African Odysseys film series and 20 years of Black History Walks
A double presentation covering secret history in London’s streets and Black music history.
The author of Black History Walks volume 1, the first ever guide book to London’s Black history and the Pearson GCSE Migration History textbook speaks on black music history in London’s streets and Dr Robert Nigro speaks on the Blues, Manchester and the links to Gospel and British Rock and Roll.
In May 1964, Granada Television transformed a disused railway station in Manchester into a fictional Southern American depot for the filming of the now legendary Blues and Gospel Train. Featuring live performances by Muddy Waters, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, Otis Spann, Cousin Joe Pleasants and Reverend Gary Davis, the programme brought some of the most influential figures in African American music to British audiences. This talk explores the event as a moment of transatlantic cultural exchange, examining how blues and gospel traditions shaped the development of British popular music and influenced artists including The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin and many more. Through music, film and contemporary accounts, the talk considers the role of African American musicians in the creation of modern rock culture
- Roberto Nigro (UCL) is a social and cultural historian based at University College London whose research and public engagement work explores race, identity, migration and popular culture. His work focuses on the experiences of marginalised communities and examines how individuals often excluded from traditional historical narratives have shaped British and transatlantic culture.
- Tony Warner organiser of the fundraiser for the blue plaque to boxers Bill Richmond and Tom Molineaux to be placed on the National gallery HERE
Other coming events ww.blackhistorywalks.co.uk HERE
- 60 years of Black British Civil Rights Professor Gus John
- Black history Bus tour/ Steam train trip
- Frantz Fanon weekender, film and talk
- Reparations, new film by 90s TV icon Chrystal Rose
- Remembering Joy Gardner: Black Lives Matter 1993
- Reparations new film from Chrystal Rose
- Black Women and Film Exhibition
- Graphic Novels: Publishing Black History and movies
- Mayfair, Hackney, Notting Hill, Southbank, Trafalgar Square, Regents Canal and Soho walks
- The Price of Memory
- I fought the law and I won, a Black judge on 60 years of Equality legislation
- Champion Black Boxers and businessmen in 1800s London:
- South Africa’s London Recruits, Oliver Tambo and Ronnie Kasrils
About African Odysseys
The volunteer-run, African Odysseys film programme screened monthly, popular, anti-racist, Black history films with Q&A’s for 18 years at the BFI. It regularly filled the Southbank 450 seater at 2pm on Saturdays when cinemas are typically ‘dead’.The British Film Institute ignored a 18,400 strong petition to keep it HERE .Refused to answer 8 simple questions. Then cancelled the programme so they could ‘cut costs and promote diversity’ HERE