'The Bristol Boycott & The Birth Of British Civil Rights' Paul Stephenson Interview
In 1962 a young coloured social worker named Paul Stephenson moved to Bristol. Having sustained racism in London, Bristol was little more inclusive. After being arrested for trying to order a beer in a Bristol pub, Stephenson started organizing direct action. Inspired by Martin Luther King's boycotts in the USA, protests were directed against the Bristol Omnibus - a company which, in collusion with the Transport and General Workers Union, operated an explicit employment 'Colour Bar' on Bristol's buses.
The company was confident it could maintain this discrimination, but with widespread support, a substantial part coming from Bristol's white residents, as well as the opposition leader - the future Labour PM Harold Wilson, the company backed down 60 days later - on 28th of August, the same day as Martin Luther made his 'I Have a Dream' speech.
Later Harold Wilson making good on his promises, enacting the first anti-discrination legislation in 1965. Here is Paul's 2013 BBC interview.
The company was confident it could maintain this discrimination, but with widespread support, a substantial part coming from Bristol's white residents, as well as the opposition leader - the future Labour PM Harold Wilson, the company backed down 60 days later - on 28th of August, the same day as Martin Luther made his 'I Have a Dream' speech.
Later Harold Wilson making good on his promises, enacting the first anti-discrination legislation in 1965. Here is Paul's 2013 BBC interview.