We continue our ongoing review of the work and legacy of the legendary activist Darcus Howe. On 4th January 2022, we will unveil an historic blue plaque. The plaque is produced by the Nubian Jak and sponsored by Black History Walks. It will be unveiled at 167 Railton Road, Brixton, presently home to the Brixton Advice Centre, in the 1970s the building was the office of the Race Today Collective.
Darcus Howe was a key figure in many major movements from; the Black Panthers, to the Mangrove 9, to Bangladeshi housing, the Black Peoples Day of Action, the Brixton uprisings, changing the face of British TV with the Bandung File, Devils Advocate and the Race Today Collective.
Between 1973-88, the ground-breaking Race Today journal was at the epicentre of the struggle for racial justice in Britain, highlighting the limitless opportunities and impacts campaigning journalism can have.
With the struggle against police racism and brutality currently happening across the world, it is vital that young activists learn about the recent history of Black Radicalism in Britain, including the Black Radical press, in order to harness the revolutionary potential of the media in the fight for racial justice.
Between 1973 and 1988, the Race Today journal and its collective of writers passionately fought police brutality, challenged racist institutions and, by adopting intersectional politics, linked the experiences of Black communities in Britain with other struggles to illustrate the interconnectedness of race, sex and class exploitation.
Under the controversial editorship of activist and former Black Panther Darcus Howe and, from 1985, his wife Leila Hassan, Race Today became a central voice for the anti-racist Black community in London.
For full article by Bryan Knight in Novara Media use this link https://novaramedia.com/2020/07/10/black-britannia-the-race-today-collective-demonstrated-the-radical-potential-of-journalism/
Exact agenda and timings (virus dependent) will be announced but will include:
DJ with Darcus favourite music. Short addresses from Leila Hassan-Howe, Tamara Howe, Nubian Jak, Patrick Tornsey and others. 4th January is also CLR James( author of the Black Jacobins) birthday.
To see our collection of lectures on Darcus Howe visit https://www.youtube.com/user/blackhistorywalks/videos
This event will be physical but will also be delivered via Zoom. Please check your JUNK MAIL for the confirmation, reminder emails and virus updates.