| Description | This material consists of reports; resolutions; policy statements; press releases and informational circulars to members giving details about the activities and campaigns which the Birmingham branch was involved with both locally and nationally.
/1 information circular asking members to march behind the Indian Workers Association banner at the Birmingham May Day march 1961
/2 information circular in Punjabi inviting members to take part in a May Day rally in Birmingham 6 May 1962
/3 statement on proposals made by the Smethwick Conservatives and in particular Peter Griffiths, the Conservative candidate for election, to educate Indian and Pakistani children separately 1964
/4 annotated typescript of a speech given at a meeting organised by the Birmingham branch and attended by officials from India. The speech includes an account of the activities of the branch, including its welfare work; campaign against racial discrimination; and protest against the visit of Oswald Mosley to Birmingham. The events mentioned in the speech suggest that it was given in 1963, possibly at an event organised by the branch which was attended by the High Commissioner of India and the Mayors of Birmingham and Smethwick in February 1963. This event is referred to in correspondence listed at MS 2141/A/8/2/3
/5 press release giving information about the election of the branch executive committee and the resolutions adopted at the biennial General Body meeting of the Birmingham branch, 28 April 1963
/6 undated handwritten document giving information about the election of the branch executive committee and the resolutions adopted at a biennial meeting of the Birmingham branch at Digbeth Civic Hall. One of the resolutions concerns the racist policies pursued by elements of the Conservative party in Smethwick, and so may date from 1964 or 1965, after the election of Peter Griffiths
/7 typescript programme of the Indian Workers Association Birmingham branch agreed at the General Body meeting of the branch at Birmingham Town Hall, 8 May 1966, setting out the organisation's policy on tackling racism; cooperation with other black and Asian and anti-racist organisations; social and welfare work; collaborative work with the Trade Union and Labour Movement; involvement with the struggles of peasants and workers in India; solidarity with national liberation struggles in other countries; and supporting cultural activities
/8 resolution on 'the exploitation of economic crisis against coloured community', passed at a Special General Body meeting of the branch at Beacon cinema, Smethwick, 19 June 1966 held to discuss ways to combat racial discrimination in employment
/9 typescript report of the executive committee of the Birmingham branch of the Indian Workers Association covering the period from 1 May 1963 to 1 April 1966 and containing detailed information about the campaigns and activities the organisation had taken part in during that period. Attached to this report is a copy of the constitution of the Indian Workers Association
/10 information circular giving information about a mass demonstration organised by the branch 2 July [1967] to protest against government policy on immigration
/11 information leaflet in Punjabi about an announcement by the Home Secretary Roy Jenkins whereby women and girls who were permanently resident in Britain could bring their husbands or fiances from abroad
/12 statement in Punjabi concerning the expulsion of Sohan Singh Kanwal from the office of president of the Birmingham branch, with a statement in English about the expulsion of members from the Wolverhampton branch 1968
/13 information circular asking members to attend a demonstration against the growth of fascism and the use of racism by British political parties to be held 5 May in Victoria Square, Birmingham. This circular is undated, but the demonstration referred to is likely to be the one held during Harold Wilson's visit to Birmingham for the May Day celebrations in 1968
/14 press release giving information about election of the branch executive committee; the activities of the branch; speeches given by Jagmohan Joshi and Maurice Ludmer; and resolutions passed at the biennial General meeting of the Birmingham branch at Birmingham Town Hall, 13 April 1969
/15 information circular in Punjabi discussing the recent amnesty to all migrants from Commonwealth countries who entered Britain illegally and highlighting the need to continue to struggle against the 1971 Immigration Act. The leaflet also gives contact details for Birmingham branch committee members
/16 press release giving information about the election of the branch executive committee and resolutions passed at the biennial General Body meeting of the Birmingham branch at Digbeth Civic Hall, 21 October 1973
/17 press statement refuting a statement made in the Birmingham Evening Mail and the Wolverhampton Express and Star and attributed to the Indian Workers Association concerning advice that Indians should carry their passports with them to avoid police harassment, 23 October 1973
/18 information circular in Punjabi urging people to vote against the Conservative party due to its racist policies towards migrants, 1974
/19 information circular in Punjabi inviting members to a public meeting with a Labour Party candidate 1974
/20-/21 programme and press release relating to a Shaheed Udham Singh Day Conference organised by the Indian Workers Association at Digbeth Civic Hall, 19 August 1978 at which the report of the Birmingham branch was given and the new branch committee elected. The programme includes the names of the speakers and performers at the cultural programme that took place at this event
/22 information circular in English and Punjabi giving information about the Indian Youth Conference sponsored by the Birmingham branch, to be held at Small Heath Community Centre, Birmingham, 3 December 1978
/23 information circular in English and Punjabi giving information about a political, social and cultural programme held at the Avenue Pub, Small Heath, 9 September 1979 on behalf of the Indian Youth Section of the Birmingham to discuss racism, nationality law, immigration, and problems facing young people
/24 information circular giving information about a memorial meeting to commemorate the life of Arjan Dass Kataria's life, held at the Shaheed Udham Singh Welfare Centre, 17 April 1983. The circular states that Arjan Dass Kataria had been an active member of the Indian Workers Association, and died on a demonstration against immigration laws
/25 press release expressing the views of the Birmingham branch of the Indian Workers Association, Women's Section and Women Today on domestic violence against women and children, particularly in the Asian community, following a court case at Stafford Law Courts, 7 October 1986
/26 information circular in Punjabi urging people to attend a public meeting as part of a campaign to stop the closure of Handsworth New Road School 10 December 1989
/27 information circular in Punjabi asking members to attend a public meeting organised by the Indian Workers Association at Summerfield Community Centre, Birmingham at which issued relating to the council tax, racist attacks, and the policies of the Conservative government 18 October 1992
/28 information circular in Punjabi announcing a public meeting at Handsworth Leisure Centre to discuss racist attacks on black and Asian people in Britain, Conservative government proposals to cut social security benefits, and the atrocities against 'Dalits' in India, 29 November 1992
Undated papers consist of:
/29 statement in Punjabi about the issue of Indian passports
/30 information circular in Punjabi appealing to workers to join trade unions
/31 statement issued by the Birmingham branch executive committee to expose the recent actions of a former president of the branch, Jasmer Singh Rai, who has opened an office called the Immigrants Advice Service in Birmingham
/32 information circular in Punjabi giving details about a public meeting to be held at Waterloo Inn, Capehill, Smethwick to discuss a Government white paper that is viewed as anti-working class
/33 information circular in Punjabi |