Colouring in Britain

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Factual: History

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: Paul Stephenson

Paul Stephenson

BBC Sounds - Colouring in Britain, Paul Stephenson

Tomi Dixon meets one of the heroes of Britain's civil rights struggle of the 1960s

Tomi Dixon delves into the little known story of Britain’s civil rights movement of the 1960s and meets Paul Stephenson, one of its leaders.

How are people allowed to be remembered in history? Who decides which stories are told? How can the story of a man who helped pass the UK's first law to end racial discrimination be so little known outside Bristol?  

In this episode of Colouring in Britain, Tomi Dixon travels to St Pauls in Bristol to understand the story of civil rights activist Paul Stephenson. Paul led the first major Black civil rights movement against racism in the 1960s, drawing inspiration from Martin Luther King's struggle in the United States. He challenged the discriminatory 'colour bar' in Bristol and brought people together to demand change across Britain.

This episode includes strong language and deals with issues of racism.

Written, produced and presented by Tomi Dixon
Actors: Ammar Dufffus, Matthew Durkan, Jonathan Forbes and Ruth Everett
Technical Producers: Giles Aspen, Keith Graham and Mike Etherden
Artwork by Tasia Graham
Production Mentors: Alasdair Cross and Ciaran Bermingham 
Executive Producers: Khaliq Meer & Leanne Alie
Commissioned for BBC Sounds Audio Lab by Khaliq Meer

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