Accession Number

B89

Series Title

LONG LIVE OUR ENGLAND

Programme Title

A TALE OF BLACK FAMILIES

Producer

Su Dalgleish

Other Credits

Editor: Michael F. Stoffer; Songs: David Campbell; Camera: Steve Stephens; Sound: Philip Stephens

Transmission Date

22/02/72

colour , sound (sep), 28 mins 38 secs

Synopsis

Programme on immigration, focusing on West Indian families who came to Britain in search of a better life. Opens with shots of the Moss Side carnival, including black people dressed in costume, dancing and playing steel drums. Jamaicans Mavis and Roland Griffiths, who came to England in 1961 and live with their children in Old Trafford, recount their experiences of racial discrimination in the workplace and their fears for their children's' future employment prospects. Leon Gloudon from Trinidad speaks of the discrimination he encountered when being interviewed for work in the construction industry. Gus John, a Youth Worker, is interviewed about racism. There are shots of sugar cane plantations, shanty towns and streetscenes in the West Indies and a brief history of British rule and slavery in the West Indies is given. Richardson Andrews, 'Economist', is interviewed about the lack of economic growth in the Caribbean and the recruitment drive by some British firms which drove immigration to Britain. Run-down, terraced housing in Moss Side is shown alongside images of a school in Trinidad. Black children at a primary school in inner city Manchester are shown and the lack of black characters in children's' books is criticised by Bernard Coard, 'Educationalist'. Includes several songs: "English Weather", "White is Good" and "Long Live Our England". Includes opening and end title sequences.