How Claudia Jones fought racism with the Notting Hill Carnival - BBC World Service, Witness History

In January 1959, the Trinidadian journalist and activist Claudia Jones launched an indoor Caribbean carnival at St. Pancras Town Hall in response to race riots that had taken place in Nottingham and London's Notting Hill area.

Claudia, who had been expelled from America for being a communist, organised the event to celebrate Caribbean culture. Televised by the BBC, the carnival brochure declared that, "A people's art is the genesis of their freedom".

The actor Corinne Skinner-Carter danced at the carnival and told Witness History how her friend hoped to bring people together with the annual event.

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[trinidadandtobago]

Big piece of my country history the republic of Trinidad and Tobago the legendary Ms Claudia Jones 🇹🇹🇹🇹

[deanreeve]

I never knew about this. What important lady and legacy, she's a national treasure. I've always loved carnival and how it represents the best of Britain. We must remember the importance of these historical lessons in times of division and hatred!

[EdLeslie-hw]

I grew up on a council estate in Battersea London. My mates where West Indian in the late 50s (we are still mates now in our 70s). Im ashamed to have known nothing about the Windrush affair. My eternal memory was of my mum and my mates mum who where Nurse's at Queen Mary's Hospital Roehampton, London. And my dad a Police Officer in Battersea London and my mates dad a Bus Driver having a 'FEW' glasses of Jamaican Rum. Such "Happy WHY NO STATUE TO THIS LADY?

[watsonunlimitedmusic]

The resilience of the Afro Caribbean community in England is an example of the human spirit in action 🙏

[malik-o-rama]

So that is the thanks that the Windrush generation received for helping to rebuild Britian

[strangelee]

6k views and only 26 comments.
Someone at the BBC is working overtime.

[husseinasrasalah]

Almost every human being is racist, unless they understand the importance of mutual respect and acceptance.

I was myself racist, believing that the only bravest and noble tribe in the world is mine.
However, today I strongly believe that everyone's culture and interest is unique so we love ❤ them and accept them all.

[Earthlove-bc]

We are her living cousins by our grandmother … they came from a family that believed in educating their daughters rare for those times … great grand parents were cocoa plantation owners in Trinidad given lands by the British and traded cocoa (interesting history ) … during economic downturn ( falling prices of cocoa etc) in TT her mother travelled to NY to work in factory and died from exhaustion and overwork …

[MrMystri]

Where’s the rest of this? Corinne Carter Skinner was gorgeous when she was young. WOW 😮

[DionneEguono]

Claudia died in 1964. Her Caribbean carnivals were held indoors in St Pancras several miles away from Nottinghill. In the 1966 Rhuane Laslett started the 1st street carnival in Notting Hill to bring her community together. Who really started the Nottinghill Carnival but it is accredited to Claudia when it should be Rhuane Laslett.

[creatura_orbis_centuria]

Amazing. Claudia brought a new life away from fascist.

[Philip_Taylor]

@Philip_Taylor
0 seconds ago
And now the shop fronts of the carnival's route are routinely boarded up to protect property from the "celebrations"... forgive me for not being enthused.

[rossseelhorst]

Sad what it’s become with such an inspiring beginning

[vickymensah]

What's new, you can't reach out to scum.Nothing really changed. God bless claudia ❤❤❤❤

[ravihari]

Is West Indies people called West Indians?

[User-ttd]

No one deserves special thanks for doing a paid job. People emigrate to and from hundreds of countries purely to improve THIER lives. They don’t do it to help the country they go to.