Reclaiming Narratives: Black History Month, the Legacy of UK Race Riots

Peter Alleyne is our Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Involvement. In this blog, he talks about the theme of 2024's Black History Month, the legacy of this summer's UK Race Riots and their impact on mental health for the Black community.

What kind of society do we want? 

The question is posed in the recently published Institute of Health Equity report on the harmful effect of structural racism on the physical and mental health of ethnic minority communities in London. The  timing of the report is important when many organisations and individuals will be observing and celebrating Black History Month: Reclaiming Narratives so that we can shine a brighter light on our stories, allegories, and history as Black people. The theme underscores a commitment to correcting historical inaccuracies and showcasing the untold success stories and the full complexity of Black heritage. 

The question in the report refers to the appalling racist and Islamophobic riots in the UK earlier this year and, according to the report, the question gains “given new urgency in Britain” as a result of the “race-fuelled violence”. 

Sadly, race riots in the UK are not unique. We can go back as far as the 1919 race riots. These were an early indication of the deep-seated racial issues that then existed in the UK and would reemerge over the years. Black homes and businesses were looted and wrecked as over 700 members of the Black community were housed in bridewells for their own safety. In 1948, Liverpool experienced three nights of racial violence on a scale not witnessed since the end of the First World War. The Notting Hill Riots of 1958 was a violent response to the influx of Caribbean migrants to the UK who were invited by the Government to fill labour shortages as Britain continued to rebuild after the Second World War. The 1981 England riots were perhaps the most explosive demonstration of racial tension in recent years with violent confrontations between young ethnic minority people and the police. Brixton saw the most serious rioting, followed by the Toxteth riots in Liverpool, Handsworth riots in Birmingham, Chapeltown in Leeds and Moss Side in Manchester. The 2024 race and Islamophobia riots included racist attacks, the targeting of mosques, arson and looting with over a thousand arrests and hundreds of prosecutions. 

The legacies of 1919, 1958, 1981 and 2024 tell us that modern day activism to eradicate racism and insert social and racial justice in the UK must continue. The impact of these violent uprisings with their clear intent to harm ethnic minorities results in mental health challenges, from racial trauma, depression, anxiety, social isolation, hypervigilance and heightened mistrust of wider society from Black communities. These mental health challenges on Black communities underlines the need for the provision of relevant, effective and culturally appropriate mental health services for Black people as expressed in the Black Mental Health Manifesto and the NHS England Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework. These are important anti-racism approaches to tackle race inequalities and inequities in mental health service provision.

I am pleased that Rethink Mental Illness has been a lead contributor to the Black Mental Health Manifesto through our work with community organisations and that we will soon publish our PCREF plan to set how we will tackle mental health inequalities as part of our commitment to becoming a truly anti-racist organisation. It is through these and our wider EDI activities that we will work together to create a culture that is celebratory and appreciative of difference. Our own Race Equality Action Leaders (REAL) staff network has been a shining example in this regard in raising its collective voice and influencing to support the charity’s response both during and after the riots.  

By reclaiming these narratives at a societal, organisational and individual level, we can ensure that the struggles and achievements of Black Britons are not forgotten and continue to serve as a foundation for building a more just and equal society. For instance, the Notting Hill Carnival was a direct response to the 1958 race riots and the murder of Kelso Cochrane in 1959 by a gang of white youths to heal relations between the Black and White communities. The carnival is a powerful example of reclaiming a narrative through triumph, strength and character against the backdrop of racial violence and hatred. It is now a cornerstone of British culture that contributes over £350 million annually to the UK economy. 

The origins of the Notting Hill Carnival and other stories are crucial to understanding the broader context of the Black British historical experience and the ongoing struggle for justice and equality for Britain’s Black communities. Their stories of Black Britons are a core part of this nation’s history. So let this Black History Month inspire us to dig deeper, listen intently and continue to build a Britain that is just, inclusive and peaceful for everyone, regardless of their ethnic background. 

That is the kind of society we want. Isn’t it?