BLMUK Fundraiser
Donation protected
BLM Walk
BLM (Black Lives Matter) is working to end systematic and systemic racism and violence. I am asking for donations of what you can to this important cause.
I will be walking 20.6 miles on Sunday 5th Jul through 7 significant locations in Britain’s History in the fight against racism. 100% of donations will go to BLMUK Fund (https://uk.gofundme.com/f/ukblm-fund). Details of these 7 locations can be find below.
Statement from BLMUK
‘Black Lives Matter UK (BLMUK) is a coalition of black activists and organisers across the UK. We’ve been organising since 2016 for justice in our communities.
We’re guided by a commitment to dismantle imperialism, capitalism, white-supremacy, patriarchy and the state structures that disproportionately harm black people in Britain and around the world. We build deep relationships across the diaspora and strategise to challenge the rise of the authoritarian right-wing across the world, from Brazil to Britain.
We’re developing new and exciting ways of organising that centre transparency, accountability, safety and healing for our organisers and our communities. BLMUK organises in the black radical tradition, using political education, direct action and political leadership toward black liberation.
Our commitment to all black lives means that we lift up the experiences of the most marginalised in our communities, including but not limited to working class queer, trans, undocumented, disabled, Muslim, sex workers, women/non-binary, HIV+ people.
Nothing can be done without resource in the climate we live in. These donations are to support UKBLM’s work with black communities across the UK. This is an evolving fund to support black life against institutional racism and enable radical reminaging/knowledge production from within our communities.’
Here is some information on these landmarks. (These are by no extent an exhaustive selection of important locations in the history of the fight against racism in Britain.)
The Locations
St Anne’s Catholic High School – Reni- Eddo Lodge's High School
Reni Eddo-Lodge is a famous journalist and author who writes on feminism and structural racism. This June, her book Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race, which was first published in 2017, rose to No.1 after the surge of open support for Black Lives Matter in the wake of George Floyd’s murder.
Mangrove Restaurant – Black British Civil Rights HQ
Established by activist Frank Chrichlow, The Mangrove Restaurant was a meeting place for the Black Panthers.
'In 1969 the Mangrove restaurant became the target of police attention that seemed designed to close it down. Robin Bunce and Paul Field write in The Independent that it was raided 12 times between January 1969 and July 1970, and in August that year a protest march was organized demanding "hands off the Mangrove". The protest ended in violence and the arrests of nine protesters (the "Mangrove Nine"), including Crichlow, Althea Jones Lecointe and Darcus Howe, on charges that included conspiracy to incite a riot. Their celebrated trial in 1971 —which featured an unsuccessful demand by Howe for an all-black jury — ended with the acquittal of all nine on the incitement charges, and five of the nine, including Crichlow and Howe, on all charges. Bunce and Field write that the Mangrove Nine "turned the fight against police racism into a cause célèbre."'
Cato St Conspiracy - William Davidson
On 1 May 1820, Jamaican William Davidson, who had arranged to buy weapons to ambush a meeting of government ministers and take over the country, was arrested at Cato Street, convicted, and then executed in front of a huge crowd.
73 Riding House Street, Marylebone - Olaudah Equiano
'Equiano is one of few African abolitionists to make it onto the National Curriculum. His amazing story began with his kidnap from the area now known as Nigeria as a young boy, and subsequent sale into British slavery via Barbados and Virginia. He enabled himself to read and write; served in various wars with the Royal Navy; managed to free himself from slavery and went on to travel the world, including a voyage to the North Pole with one Horatio Nelson. He even worked as a hairdresser. Vexed at the continuing exploitation of his people, Equiano ‘crowdfunded’ (without the website of course) money from high society and published his book The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano in 1789, which became a bestseller that’s still available today. Equiano subsequently travelled the country giving lectures and speeches on the evils of the slave trade.'
Parliament Square - Nelson Mandela Statue
'This nine foot statue would be in Trafalgar Square were it not for the objections of Westminster Council who stated ‘it would be out of place because it is too big and in too prominent a location.’ With the Council decision supported by English Heritage and the National Gallery, those backing the statue, including former Mayor Ken Livingstone, took their appeal higher, to the then Labour government. Unfortunately they also refused permission for the statue to stand on the north side of Trafalgar Square, but suggested Parliament Square as an alternative, and in 2007, the statue was unveiled here. Interestingly, of all the statues on Parliament Square, Mandela’s is the only one not on a plinth; but as a result his statue is also the most popular, with people taking selfies with, what is at present, one of only two full-size statues of Black people in London.'
Blackfriars Bridge - Black Peoples’ Day of Action 1981
'The biggest ever march of Black people in England took place here on 1 March, 1981. Between 15,000 and 20,000 people crossed the river to protest against British racism, and demonstrate for equal treatment under the law. The trigger for the march had been the deaths of 13 young Black people at 439 New Cross in a suspected racist arson attack on 18 January that same year. Although racially motivated arson and other physical attacks were common at this time, there was a distinct lack of interest in, and coverage of, the incident from police and mainstream media. The march proceeded along Fleet Street - the address of many British newspapers at the time - and passed off peacefully, notwithstanding the racist abuse marchers experienced from staffers leaning out of windows. Yet, the next day The Sun ran with the headline ‘The Day the Blacks Ran Riot’'
Windrush Square - Brixton London
Windrush Square is home to the Black Cultural Archives, the largest archive of Black history in Britain.
Thank you for your support and I hope you will stand with me in this fight against ongoing violent anti-blackness.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangrove_restaurant
https://afropunk.com/2017/07/black-london-10-historic-sites-explore-citys-rich-past/
https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/blog/9-important-london-black-history-landmarks
BLM (Black Lives Matter) is working to end systematic and systemic racism and violence. I am asking for donations of what you can to this important cause.
I will be walking 20.6 miles on Sunday 5th Jul through 7 significant locations in Britain’s History in the fight against racism. 100% of donations will go to BLMUK Fund (https://uk.gofundme.com/f/ukblm-fund). Details of these 7 locations can be find below.
Statement from BLMUK
‘Black Lives Matter UK (BLMUK) is a coalition of black activists and organisers across the UK. We’ve been organising since 2016 for justice in our communities.
We’re guided by a commitment to dismantle imperialism, capitalism, white-supremacy, patriarchy and the state structures that disproportionately harm black people in Britain and around the world. We build deep relationships across the diaspora and strategise to challenge the rise of the authoritarian right-wing across the world, from Brazil to Britain.
We’re developing new and exciting ways of organising that centre transparency, accountability, safety and healing for our organisers and our communities. BLMUK organises in the black radical tradition, using political education, direct action and political leadership toward black liberation.
Our commitment to all black lives means that we lift up the experiences of the most marginalised in our communities, including but not limited to working class queer, trans, undocumented, disabled, Muslim, sex workers, women/non-binary, HIV+ people.
Nothing can be done without resource in the climate we live in. These donations are to support UKBLM’s work with black communities across the UK. This is an evolving fund to support black life against institutional racism and enable radical reminaging/knowledge production from within our communities.’
Here is some information on these landmarks. (These are by no extent an exhaustive selection of important locations in the history of the fight against racism in Britain.)
The Locations
St Anne’s Catholic High School – Reni- Eddo Lodge's High School
Reni Eddo-Lodge is a famous journalist and author who writes on feminism and structural racism. This June, her book Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race, which was first published in 2017, rose to No.1 after the surge of open support for Black Lives Matter in the wake of George Floyd’s murder.
Mangrove Restaurant – Black British Civil Rights HQ
Established by activist Frank Chrichlow, The Mangrove Restaurant was a meeting place for the Black Panthers.
'In 1969 the Mangrove restaurant became the target of police attention that seemed designed to close it down. Robin Bunce and Paul Field write in The Independent that it was raided 12 times between January 1969 and July 1970, and in August that year a protest march was organized demanding "hands off the Mangrove". The protest ended in violence and the arrests of nine protesters (the "Mangrove Nine"), including Crichlow, Althea Jones Lecointe and Darcus Howe, on charges that included conspiracy to incite a riot. Their celebrated trial in 1971 —which featured an unsuccessful demand by Howe for an all-black jury — ended with the acquittal of all nine on the incitement charges, and five of the nine, including Crichlow and Howe, on all charges. Bunce and Field write that the Mangrove Nine "turned the fight against police racism into a cause célèbre."'
Cato St Conspiracy - William Davidson
On 1 May 1820, Jamaican William Davidson, who had arranged to buy weapons to ambush a meeting of government ministers and take over the country, was arrested at Cato Street, convicted, and then executed in front of a huge crowd.
73 Riding House Street, Marylebone - Olaudah Equiano
'Equiano is one of few African abolitionists to make it onto the National Curriculum. His amazing story began with his kidnap from the area now known as Nigeria as a young boy, and subsequent sale into British slavery via Barbados and Virginia. He enabled himself to read and write; served in various wars with the Royal Navy; managed to free himself from slavery and went on to travel the world, including a voyage to the North Pole with one Horatio Nelson. He even worked as a hairdresser. Vexed at the continuing exploitation of his people, Equiano ‘crowdfunded’ (without the website of course) money from high society and published his book The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano in 1789, which became a bestseller that’s still available today. Equiano subsequently travelled the country giving lectures and speeches on the evils of the slave trade.'
Parliament Square - Nelson Mandela Statue
'This nine foot statue would be in Trafalgar Square were it not for the objections of Westminster Council who stated ‘it would be out of place because it is too big and in too prominent a location.’ With the Council decision supported by English Heritage and the National Gallery, those backing the statue, including former Mayor Ken Livingstone, took their appeal higher, to the then Labour government. Unfortunately they also refused permission for the statue to stand on the north side of Trafalgar Square, but suggested Parliament Square as an alternative, and in 2007, the statue was unveiled here. Interestingly, of all the statues on Parliament Square, Mandela’s is the only one not on a plinth; but as a result his statue is also the most popular, with people taking selfies with, what is at present, one of only two full-size statues of Black people in London.'
Blackfriars Bridge - Black Peoples’ Day of Action 1981
'The biggest ever march of Black people in England took place here on 1 March, 1981. Between 15,000 and 20,000 people crossed the river to protest against British racism, and demonstrate for equal treatment under the law. The trigger for the march had been the deaths of 13 young Black people at 439 New Cross in a suspected racist arson attack on 18 January that same year. Although racially motivated arson and other physical attacks were common at this time, there was a distinct lack of interest in, and coverage of, the incident from police and mainstream media. The march proceeded along Fleet Street - the address of many British newspapers at the time - and passed off peacefully, notwithstanding the racist abuse marchers experienced from staffers leaning out of windows. Yet, the next day The Sun ran with the headline ‘The Day the Blacks Ran Riot’'
Windrush Square - Brixton London
Windrush Square is home to the Black Cultural Archives, the largest archive of Black history in Britain.
Thank you for your support and I hope you will stand with me in this fight against ongoing violent anti-blackness.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangrove_restaurant
https://afropunk.com/2017/07/black-london-10-historic-sites-explore-citys-rich-past/
https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/blog/9-important-london-black-history-landmarks
Organiser
Dulcie Fraser
Organiser
