Colouring in Britain

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Uncovering the incredible lives and stories of Britons of colour, past and present.

Colouring in Britain uncovers the incredible lives and stories of Britons of colour, past and present. Charting the stories and experiences of people across Britain who have influenced and shaped what the UK looks like today, Tomi retells pivotal moments in their stories through interviews and drama. Featuring the stories of Benjamin Zephaniah, Claudia Jones, Paul Stephenson and Princess Campbell, each episode illustrates the incomplete British canvas, as the picture is only complete once you add in colour.

Colouring in Britain: Claudia Jones

Claudia Jones

BBC Sounds - Colouring in Britain, Claudia Jones

Meet Claudia Jones, a fearless fighter for civil rights on both sides of the Atlantic

Claudia Jones was a trailblazer for American journalism and activism, but Britain is where she made history.  Tomi Dixon tells her extraordinary story.

Tomi Dixon returns home to London to tell the story of Trinidad-born journalist and political activist Claudia Jones, the woman who went toe to toe with the US government and fought just as hard when she found her way to Britain in the 1950s. 

Communist, immigrant and vocal. She simultaneously became a target for imperial powers and a beacon of hope for marginalised communities, educating and uplifting so many of those she met.

Tomi investigates, with the help of academics Carole Boyce Davies and Colin Prescod, how the issues Claudia faced decades ago still prevail in modern Britain. He hears how she created celebration from tragedy, establishing Britain’s first major black newspaper and planting the seeds that grew into Europe’s biggest Caribbean carnival in the heart of Notting Hill. 

Actors: Shvorne Marks, Lloyd Thomas, Matthew Durkan, Rita Estevanovich, Jonathan Forbes 
Technical Producers: Sarah Hockley, Keith Graham and Mike Etherden
Production Mentors: Alasdair Cross and Ciaran Bermingham 
Executive Producers: Leanne Alie and Khaliq Meer
Commissioned for BBC Sounds Audio Lab by Khaliq Meer
Artwork by Tasia Graham

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Colouring in Britain

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