Experiences of Black and Asian Migrants in Modern Britain

The Role of the Media

  • The media played an increasingly important role in highlighting and influencing public opinions about immigration in Britain.
  • Different forms of media became commonly used in different decades of the twentieth century and beyond, including radio, television, tabloid newspapers, the internet, social media, and satellite TV.

Were the experiences of all Black and Asian Migrants after WW2 negative?

  • Learning Objective: To examine the experiences of black and Asian migrants in Modern Britain.
  • Enoch Powell's "River of Blood" Speech:
    • Enoch Powell was a Conservative MP for Wolverhampton in the Midlands, a town with a large number of migrants from the Caribbean and Asia.
    • In 1960, Powell had helped recruit 18,000 Indian doctors to work in the NHS.
    • On April 20, 1968, he made a controversial speech criticizing immigration.
    • The speech was so powerful that London dockworkers marched in support, and a survey found that 75% of British people believed there were 'too many' migrants from ethnic minorities.

Extract from Enoch Powell’s Speech (April 20, 1968)

  • Powell stated that in 15 or 20 years, there would be 3\frac{1}{2} million Commonwealth immigrants and their descendants in the country.
  • He suggested reducing this number by stopping further inflow and promoting maximum outflow.
  • Powell argued that while entry to Britain was seen as advantageous for immigrants, the existing population felt like strangers in their own country.
  • He claimed that the existing population was unable to access adequate hospital beds and school places, with their communities changing beyond recognition.
  • Powell expressed concern over the annual inflow of approximately 50,000 dependents, suggesting it was detrimental to the nation.
  • He likened the situation to a nation building its own funeral pyre and foresaw bloodshed, comparing it to the River Tiber foaming with blood.

Questions about Enoch Powell’s Speech

  • What type of migrants does Enoch Powell mention in his speech?
  • What does Enoch Powell want to happen to migration levels in Britain?
  • Why does Enoch Powell believe migrants have come to Britain?
  • What impact does Enoch Powell seem to think migrants have had on British life and families?
  • What is Enoch Powell’s fear about Britain if migration levels continue to rise?
  • In what ways does Enoch Powell make his speech persuasive?
  • What impact do you think Enoch Powell hoping to have with his speech?
  • Why do you think Powell was sacked for this speech?

The varied experiences of black and Asian migrants

  • The experiences of black and Asian migrants varied enormously, making it difficult to generalize whether their experiences were positive or negative.
  • Racist attitudes were present in everyday encounters, though not all migrants faced violence.
  • Some migrants initially reported more positive experiences in Britain.

Source A

  • Ivan Weekes, who arrived in Britain in 1955, recalled feeling frightened and wondering what would happen next due to the hostile reactions from people, including spitting and avoidance.
  • He also remembers instances of kindness and support, which gave him hope and comfort.

Source B

  • George Dixon, a writer from the Caribbean in 1976, noted that black teenagers did not receive a fair deal compared to white teenagers and felt a lack of belonging.

Source C

  • A Pakistani immigrant interviewed in the late 1980s recounted his experiences in the 1960s, noting that even qualified individuals from his country worked as laborers, bus conductors, and cleaners.
  • He mentioned that many immigrants were more literate and competent than their supervisors.

Source D

  • A woman from the Caribbean interviewed in the late 1990s spoke about her experiences in the 1950s and 60s, expressing her initial love for Britain and her work as a midwife in the NHS.
  • However, she stated her pride and love were diminished by racism, ignorance, and abuse, which seemed unfair to those who had fought in the war.

Source E

  • A Judge sentencing four white youths convicted of violence in Notting Hill in London 1958.
  • Condemned their actions as horrific and disgusting, asserting that all individuals, regardless of skin color, have the right to walk in peace without fear.

Source F

  • Comments made at a trade union conference, 1958. Argued that the real problem was not the presence of black people but the prejudices of white people.

Source G

  • Andrea Levy, born in London in 1956 to Jamaican parents, described experiencing constant questions about her origins and cultural differences.
  • She recalled feeling foreign and out of place, internalizing the racism to the point of self-hatred and embarrassment about her family.

Source H

  • Notices like these were common in 1960s Britain.
  • Example of a 'Flat to Let' ad specifying "NO COLOURED, NO IRISH, NO DOGS, NO CHILDREN"

Attitudes in Britain towards migrants

  • Attitudes in Britain towards migrants in the nineteenth century were similar to attitudes in Britain towards migrants in the period c1900–present.
  • In both periods, migrants were often regarded with suspicion and resentment.
    • For example, migrants were suspects in the Jack the Ripper case in nineteenth century London, and Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech in the twentieth century predicted social problems if migration was not limited.

Race Riots

  • Brixton, 1981
  • Burnley, 2001

Race Relations Laws

  • In response to race riots and deteriorating relations, many laws were created to try and address the prejudice and discrimination of black and Asian communities.
  • 1965- Race Relations Act:
    • Racial discrimination becomes illegal .
    • Race Relations board is set up to oversee complaints about discrimination.
  • 1968 Race Relations Act:
    • Discrimination in housing and employment based on race becomes illegal.
    • It didn’t stop employers from using other reasons to discriminate.
  • 1976 Race Relations Act:
    • Illegal to discriminate based on race, nationality or ethnic background in employment, education, housing and training .
  • 1998 Crime and Disorder Act:
    • Harsher punishments if a crime was proven to have been racially motivated. (HATE CRIMES)

Comprehension Task

  • Why do you think attitudes towards migration changed in the second half of the 1900s?
    • Immigration became more common as Britain needed people to help it rebuild.
    • The media became more anti-migrant as people feared loosing jobs or their British culture.
  • Why do you think far-right political parties such as the National Front and the BNP became more popular after 1945?
    • As more people became concerned about migration they turned towards far-right groups that were anti-migrant.
  • What methods did far-right groups such as the National Front and BNP use to catch the attention of the British public?
    • Speeches and marches through areas with high levels of migrants- stirring up trouble.
  • What argument was Enoch Powell trying to make about immigration in his speech in 1968?
    • Powell was trying to persuade people that more migrants would lead to the end of ‘Britain’.
    • He wanted people to send migrants away from Britain.
  • Why do you think the authorities were worried about the impact of Powell’s speech?
    • His language in the speech was full of references to violence towards migrant groups.
    • Many dockworkers in London expressed support for his view.
    • The government feared riots across Britain.
  • In what kind of areas were race riots more likely to start and why?
  • Outline the issues which young black men in Brixton were angry about by the 1980s.
  • Why were black people in Brixton unhappy with the ‘Sus Law’ used by the police?
  • What did the Scarman Report conclude the cause of the Brixton riots to be?
  • Outline the events which triggered the riots in Burnley in 2001.
  • What role did the BNP play in the riots in Burnley?
  • Explain why creating laws against racism doesn’t always work in preventing racism from happening.
  • Why do you think the government were keen to create new laws preventing racial discrimination and prejudice (what were they hoping to prevent?).
  • In what ways did the Race Relations Acts help prevent discrimination against black and Asian people in Britain?
  • In what ways would the media have helped increase racial tensions in cities places such as Brixton and Burnley?
  • Why do you think the ‘rioters’ took to the streets to vent their anger rather than use other methods?
  • What lessons do you think the authorities would have learned about dealing with racial tensions from the events in Brixton and Burnley?

Migration in Modern Britain c.1900-Modern

  • The Experiences of Black & Asian Migrants in Modern Britain
  • In the years after the Second World War, attitudes towards migrants into Britain became more hostile.
  • The topic of immigration was covered in national newspapers and newer forms of media like TV and radio.
  • By the 2000s the internet and social media also became important media platforms.
  • Some parts of the media showed migrants negatively, which stirred up prejudice against immigration.
  • Others portrayed migrants more positively and campaigned against racism.
  • People were more able to make their feelings known about migration and politicians were forced to pay more attention to public attitudes.
  • As a result, tension increased further and the experiences of black and Asian migrants were heavily affected.
  • However, this also resulted in a number of organisations which called for greater support and legislation in favour of migrants.
  • Race Riots
    • Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ Speech 1968
    • 1981 Brixton Riots
    • Burnley 2001
  • Race Relations Legislation
  • After the Second World War it was more common for migrants to enter Britain with their family, rather than as single adults.
  • This was especially true when Asian families arrived from Kenya in 1967. The media heavily reported on the events with some reporting on an ‘immigration problem’.
  • In the same year, another small but extreme, far right political party was formed called the National Front (NF).
  • The NF wanted to end all immigration and expel immigrants from Britain. For a brief time in the 1970s, the NF was the forth biggest party in Britain. It was known for using violence against migrant groups and claimed that ‘a multicultural society is wrong, is evil, and we will destroy it.’
  • Changing Attitudes after World War Two
  • In 1968, the Conservative MP for Wolverhampton (a town with high numbers of Caribbean and Asian migrants), Enoch Powell made an explosive speech against immigration.
  • This was surprising as in 1960 he been Health Secretary and recruited 18,000 Indian doctors to help the NHS.
  • His speech became known as the ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech. In his speech, he predicted that further immigration would result in ‘war’ and ‘bloodshed’ on ‘British streets’.
  • It had a huge impact with London dock workers marching through London in support of him.
  • A survey also found that 75% of people in Britain believed that there were too many ‘ethnic minority’ migrants in Britain.
  • However, Powell’s speech was so controversial that he was sacked from government and it ended his political career.
  • Strong opinions and hostile attitudes towards immigration, often fuelled by the media, led to a breaking point in some cities where migration levels were high.
  • There were protests and clashes in the streets between white ‘English’ people, migrants from ethnic minority backgrounds and the police who were attempting to ease tensions.
  • By the 1980s, 25% of residents in Brixton, south London, were from an ethnic minority.
  • In 1981 riots began with rioters fighting the police for three days. Around 300 people were injured and £7.5 million of damage was caused.
  • The rioters were mainly second generation migrants - young black men born to parents from the Windrush generation.
  • The causes of the Brixton Riots
    • The area had poor housing, a high crime rate and 50% of young black men were unemployed. Many believed they could not gain work due to racial prejudice.
    • In April 1981, the police started to tackle street crime and increased the number of police officers in Brixton. They used a law called the ‘Sus Law’ which gave them the right to stop and search anyone they ‘suspected’ of committing a crime (even without evidence).
    • In 6 days, over 1,000 people were stopped and searched – most of them black men. The black community believed they were being unfairly targeted by the police.
    • This was especially the case as the police were exempt from the Race Relations Act of 1976, which banned discrimination on the grounds of race.
    • Similar riots took place later in 1981 in other parts of London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester.
    • The Scarman Report – The government commissioned Lord Scarman to investigate what had happened in Brixton. He concluded that the rioting was a spontaneous response to the resentment that had been building up over a long time over the treatment of black people by the police.
    • In the end, the law which allowed the police to stop and search people just on suspicion of a crime was changed.
  • The northern city of Burney had a large Asian community. A fight broke out outside a nightclub between rival white and Asian drug dealers. As the fight spread, an Asian taxi driver was attacked with a hammer by a group of white youths. Rumours that the taxi driver had been killed spread.
  • The following night, a group of Asian men attacked a pub and its white customers fought back. Rioting continued over the weekend, with hundreds involved in firebombing, the destruction of property and assaults.
  • Why were racial tensions so high in Burnley?
    • Burnley had once been a prosperous town but many of its cotton mills closed down in the 1980s causing high unemployment. Housing was poor and 40% of residents depended on state benefits.
    • Asian migrants to Burnley were often segregated – they lived and worked in separate areas, away from whites. This meant that there was little integration of the two communities With little understand of each others’ differences in language, culture and traditions.
    • Asians felt that the council treated ‘white’ communities better and ‘white’ communities felt the opposite.
    • A far right political party called the BNP (British National Party) used these tensions to fuel the divisions between ‘white’ and Asian residents.
  • The government aimed to tackle the causes of race related riots with new laws to address prejudice and discrimination of people from black and Asian communities.
  • Below are some key pieces of legislation. However, it must be remembered that changing a law is one thing but it is far more difficult to change the attitudes and opinions of the general public towards issues such as immigration.
    • q 1965 Race Relations Act: This was the first law to make racial discrimination illegal. Racial discrimination was banned in public places and the Race Relations Board was set up to handle complaints about discrimination.
    • q 1968 Race Relations Act: Discrimination in housing and employment based on race was made illegal. This still couldn’t stop employers using other reasons to discriminate.
    • q 1976 Race Relations Act: Made it illegal to discriminate on grounds of race, nationality or ethnic background in employment, education, housing and training.
    • q 1998 Crime and Disorder Act: Introduced harsher punishments if a crime was proved to have been racially motivated.

Plenary

  • The experiences of all black and Asian migrants to Britain were all negative during the period 1945-1980. How far do you agree?