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Witness History: The New Cross fire

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The New Cross Fire

18/01/2021 GMT

The New Cross fire

BBC World Service - Witness History, The New Cross fire

How the New Cross fire in 1981 led to The Black People’s Day of Action.

The story of our times told by the people who were there.

In the early hours of Sunday the 18th of January, 1981, a fire swept through a house full of young people at a birthday celebration being held at 439 New Cross Road in Deptford, south-east London. The fire killed 13 people on the night and was believed by some to be a racist attack. 

Amidst frustration at the political and media indifference shown towards the loss of 13 young black lives, political activist Leila Hassan Howe helped organise The Black People’s Day of Action - marking a significant point in Black British history. She talks to May Cameron.

Photo: Firefighters at 439 New Cross Road, the day after the fire on 19th January, 1981. Credit: Keystone/Stringer/Getty Images

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