1919- racist violent strikes across Britain (Cardiff, Newport) - three deaths &£3000 in damage
National Union of Seamen - demanded non-white jobs be given to whites e.g. Liverpool in 1919 demanding jobs be given to them- sacked 120 workers
The Alien Orders Act of 1920 - required migrants to register with police before finding work
Special Restrictions Act 1925- forced coloured seamen to prove British citizenship
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Inter-war period attitudes 2
Wage rates were higher for whites - Asian chefs paid £5 a month but White chefs £20
League of Coloured People -1935 claimed 80% of coloured people were unmployed compared to 30% of whites
Idea that those in British empires would come to British unis then go back to own country to take senior roles - Harold Moody was refused employment in Britain
The League of Coloured People (1931 - Moody) campaigned for equal rights and fair access to healthcare
International African Service Bureau - dedicated to fighting against imperialism and racism
Communist Party had high membership from ethnic groups including Saklatvala - Indian born radical. Communist Party helped Arab and Somali seamen who NUS tried to force out of jobs in 1930
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WW2 on Racism
Immigrant workers crucial to war effort
Men joined RAF, armed forces and Indian Army had 2 million men
Propaganda encouraged white New Zealand and Australian men
General racism in war work such as no promotions and refused to work in certain factories (Government refused 2000 Jamican workers to carry out war work)
American military made this worse as their armed forces were segregated and there was pressure for Britain to do the same
But opportunities for all ex servicemen to travel abroad and learn new opportunities
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Post-War
Learie Constantine (cricketer) won a legal victory over a colour bar from the Imperial Hotel
British Nationality Act 1948 due to labour shortage so all people from British empires could come in
** Empire Windrush marked this in June 1948
Immigrants found prosperity in entertainment industry such as Dr Mooksang nightclubs and DJ's like DJ Wilbert Augustus Campbell
Found work in post offices and NHS. NHS recruit 3000 Caribbean nurses
White's tried to stopped blacks from purchasing homes, claiming benefits and getting jobs
Government put pressure on black and asian countries to make passports less readily avaliable
MPs received letters from whites complaining on how black and Asians could buy houses, claim benefits etc but also from black and Asians on discrimination they had encountered
Mass violence including beatings to blacks who dated whites, anger at a loss of colonies, blame for economic problems and discrimination in police force
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Government policies
Conservative & Labour attempted to win votes by restricting immigration
Commonwealth Immigration Act 1962 - end large scale immigration - only if job is waiting for them or had skills required
Commonwealth Immigration Act 1968 - tightened rules to children of migrants over 17 and had to prove connection
Immigration Act 1970 created: Partial - People born in UK or parents/grandparents born in UK (White Commonwealth members) Non-Partial - people born outside UK
Still mass migration as people just moved before the act came into force so migration continued at high levels
Conservative party slogan 'If you want a ****** for a neighbour vote Labour'
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Black Power
Obi.B. Egbuna - led the Black Panther Party
Olive Morris led Brixton Black Women's Group
Darcus Howe founded Race Today Collective which organised squats and strikes like Imperial Typewriters Strike and ensuring Bengali people had safe housing
1971 - proved that the police force was racist
Race Relations Acts of 65,68 and 76 prevented discrimination. 68 outlawed discrimination in housing and unemployment
Enoch Powell 'Rivers of Blood' speech on 20 April 1968 claimed that blacks and asians had more right than Brits showing typical post-colonialsim racism - 74% of public agreed
Assimilation of immigrants continued and a multi-culutralist society failed to emerge
Racist policies like students from India and Carribean couldn't make up more than 30% of a school so were forced to travel far away
Mandala v Powell-Lee - right for Sikh boys to wear turbans to school
Government policy pointed in 2 directions- increasing and restricting. No policy was successful
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