| Description | Press statements; articles; correspondence; flyers and newspaper cuttings on the general issue of racial discrimination and the activities of the Co-ordinating Committee Against Racial Discrimination in protesting against racist attacks and cases of discrimination against black and Asian migrants in housing, education and employment, particularly in the Smethwick area where the Smethwick Conservatives were blaming migrants for social problems. Other papers concern the efforts of the Co-ordinating Committee Against Racial Discrimination and other groups in lobbying for the introduction of legislation against racial discrimination during the early and mid 1960s
Papers consist of:
/1 copy letter from Jagmohan Joshi, secretary of Co-ordinating Committee against Racial Hatred, to the Lord Mayor of Birmingham about racial tension in the city, and asking if he would receive a deputation of various immigrant organisations to discuss racial antagonism. This letter is undated, but it was probably written in the early 1960s, before the group became known as the Co-ordinating Committee Against Racial Discrimination
/2 typescript statement issued by the Co-ordinating Committee Against Racial Discrimination setting out the organisation's aims, objectives and activities, giving details of the organisations supporting its statements, and appealing for people to support the work of the Committee
/3 typescript article entitled 'Let My People Go' by Shirley Fossick, discussing the experiences of Indian migrants to Britain in the late 1950s and early 1960s. This article was probably published at the same time that 'Mazdoor' was launched as the journal of the Indian Workers Association in 1961
/4 handwritten draft statement condemning the proposed establishment of an all white organisation in Smethwick by Councillor Don Finney, for distribution to local print and broadcast media organisations
/5 letter to Joshi from Victor Yates, MP explaining his reasons for not being able to continue as CCARD president, 9 September 1962
/6 draft typescript article entitled 'Racialism' written by Jagmohan Joshi and Shirley Fossick for CCARD. The article discusses racial discrimination in the aftermath of the passing of the 1962 Commonwealth Immigration Act. A handwritten Punjabi copy of this article is attached.
/7 handwritten draft press statement in response to Sir Alec Douglas Home's statement on immigration and his failure to condemn the racist activities of members of the Smethwick Conservative Association
/8 handwritten draft press statement condemning the murder of a group of black men in Birmingham, Alabama, the action of the police in shooting at the crowds protesting against the murders, and the comments by Governor Wallace on the incident, September 1963
/9 typescript draft press statement giving information about a lobby of parliament in support of legislation against racial discrimination. The statement mentions the views of Sir Edward Boyle, Minister of Education 1962-1964 and refers to Fenner Brockway's bill for legislation against racial discrimination
/10 handwritten draft press statement calling on the Coventry Education Committee to dismiss Colin Jordan, leader of the National Socialist Movement, from employment [as mathematics teacher] because of his extreme political views
/11 typescript press statement on CCARD headed paper expressing opposition to the policy of Smethwick Conservatives to ban all immigration to Britain
/12 typescript press statement on CCARD headed paper condemning the conviction of Nelson Mandela and others in the South Africa sabotage trial and urging people to join a demonstration for their release and the end of the system of apartheid, 12 June 1964.
/13 copy letter from Jagmohan Joshi on behalf of CCARD appealing for funds in order for the organisation to continue its work in preventing racist organisations from speaking in Birmingham. The letter mentions the success of recent campaigning which has seen Oswald Mosley, Colin Jordan and the League of the Friends of the Nazis denied the use of Birmingham halls for their meetings, 18 June 1964
/14 letter from Jocelyn Barrow, General Secretary of the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination, asking 'all organisations interested in the welfare and future of immigrants in this country' to attend a Round Table Conference to discuss ways of combating racism. The letter includes an agenda for this meeting, which includes an address by Dr David Pitt, September 1965
/15 flyer for a protest rally organised by CCARD against the White Paper on Commonwealth Immigration at Digbeth Civic Hall, 12 September 1965
/16 invoice to the 'Community Against Racial Discrimination' from the Arden Hotel, Birmingham, 1 November 1965
/17 open letter to the leader of the Labour Party, Harold Wilson from CCARD; the Federation of Pakistani Welfare Organisations; the Indian Workers Association; Birmingham University Student Campaign Against Racial Discrimination; and the West Indian Standing Conference. The letter expresses disappointment at the controls on immigration introduced by the Labour government since 1964, and urges Wilson to follow up anti-racist speeches with action against racism in politics
Newspaper cuttings include articles about a CCARD petition organised in support of campaign for legislation against racial discrimination; article
about Harry Baker, secretary of Birmingham Trades Council, withdrawing support for CCARD petition because of Communist signatories 1961; and an article about Indian Workers Association members seeking a meeting with Labour MP for Smethwick Patrick Gordon Walker to discuss discrimination against Indians in Smethwick 1962.
Other articles discuss immigration controls; the racist policies of Smethwick Conservatives; CCARD lobbying to outlaw racial discrimination and the organisation's support of Fenner Brockway's bill; a reply by Avtar Jouhl printed in the 'Smethwick Telephone' 1963 about the rights of Indian immigrants to be in Britain; 'Daily Express', 'Daily Mail' and 'The Times' report on the 'Victims Speak' pamphlet exposing unequal pay to immigrant workers 1965, the operation of 'colour bar' in Smethwick public houses and factories and in Birmingham hotels and leisure facilities; an informal meeting for tea between the wives of Smethwick councillors and the wives of members of the Indian Workers Association. There is also a report from 'World News' about the collaborative work of the Indian Workers Association, the West Indian Workers Association and the Pakistani Workers Association, and the formation of the Co-ordinating Committee Against Racial Discrimination in Dec 1961. |