The History Hotline

In the final episode of this mini series, Deanna, Weyland and Athian Akec trace how Darcus Howe carried C.L.R. James’ radical tradition from Black Power organising and Race Today into prime-time British TV, from The Bandung File to Devil’s Advocate. Through interviews, archive and biography, we explore his confrontations with British power and the legacy that continues to shape Black politics and...

In this episode, we trace Darcus Howe’s journey from Caribbean “global consciousness” and Trinidad’s Black Power uprising to the Mangrove Nine, the Race Today Collective and political organising in Britain. This episode uncovers how Howe built institutions, challenged the state and became a key target of the Special Branch’s Black Power desk. Leila Hassan Howe – Veteran Black British activist, for...

On Jan 4th 2022, Darcus Howe was honoured at the unveiling of a Nubian Jack plaque in Brixton. But who is Darcus Howe? In Part 1 of this series, we explore Howe’s politics, his relationship with C. L. R. James, and the Caribbean radical tradition behind his life’s work. This episode features: Dr Jak Beula - British entrepreneur, cultural activist, and "educartist" who founded the Nubian Jak Commun...

4 incredible years and 150 episodes of The History Hotline later, the show has come to an end. I have decided to take a long break from podcasting and can't make any promises as to when I will be back. Thank you all for your support tuning into this podcast, this last episode is taken from the live show featuring Dr Jade Bentil. For bookings and other inquiries email: thehistoryhotline@gmail.com o...

" This was a continuation of the British Caribbean Experience: fighting with Britain during global wars, and during times of peace fighting British authorities for justice." This week I am joined by author Colin Douglas discussing his book ' The Caribbean and the Second World War'. We discuss the long military history in the region and the various ways the Caribbean were a part of the global confl...

In November 2023, Hannah Gaffey on her flight to Kingston, Jamaica witnessed what she believed to be a deportation. After standing with other passengers to stop the plane taking off, the passenger then unknown to her was removed from the flight along with the 6 security personnel that were attempting to restrain him across the back row of a packed flight full of holiday makers. In this episode we'...

This week I'm joined by Rebecca Adams, archivist at the Stuart Hall Archives housed at the University of Birmingham. We talk about the importance of archiving Black life in Britain and how it informs our historical research. The life of the educational psychologist Mollie Hunte and why she remains relatively unknown despite her tremendous contribution to British society. We also talk about access...

Live events: The Imperial War Museum live show , 4pm, 19th October 2024. This week I'm joined by Paul Henriques to speak about the financial savings system Pardna, it's been successfully used all over the world and now it's in app form. Listen in to find out more about how Caribbean people in Britain used pardna to achieve their money savings goals and how it can be used a financial literacy tool...

Live events: The Imperial War Museum live show , 4pm, 19th October 2024. Articles Cited: Amelia Gentleman: 'Home Office forced to release critical report on origins of Windrush scandal' Wawrick Mansel, 'Jamaican teachers at leading UK academy chain paid less than their British colleagues' Prof. Gus John, 'Jamaica needs teachers, yet England poaches them and classrooms lie empty. How can that be ri...

Live events: The Imperial War Museum live show , 4pm, 19th October 2024 Just an episode full of the books I'm currently reading, some Black British History and some not so much. Books mentioned: Blazing Trails: Stories of a Heroic Generation - Gus John Multicultural Britain: A People's History - Kieran Connell The Caribbean and the Second World War - Colin Douglas Black Women Always: Conversations...

Live events: The Imperial War Museum live show , 4pm, 19th October 2024. On today’s episode I will be thinking about the far right. I’ll be continuing to think about this idea of 'little change' from last week and into next week. We'll be looking at the longer history of anti-immigrant sentiment in politics and the history of far riot uprisings. Racism Runs Riot by Dr Lambros Fatsis The Windrush s...

Live events: The live podcast show at Kings Place, 2pm on 15th September 2024. The Imperial War Museum live show , 4pm, 19th October 2024. On today’s episode I will be thinking about policing Notting Hill Carnival. I’ll be continuing to think about this idea of 'little change' from last week and into next week. We'll be looking at media portrayals as well as the 1976 and 1977 Notting Hill Carnival...

Live events: The live podcast show at Kings Place, 2pm on 15th September 2024. The Imperial War Museum live show , 4pm, 19th October 2024. On today’s episode I will be thinking about policing and how little has changed since my grandparents came in the 1950s and 1960s. I’ll be thinking about this idea of 'little change' in the next few episodes. The next two episodes will largely focus on policing...

This week's episode discusses the current racial climate in the UK with the far-right taking to the streets in the name of 'protecting Britain', whilst burning hotels and libraries, vandalising public and private property and causing chaos and inflicting violence. We talk about this within the context of Jamaican Independence (shoutout to all those who celebrate) and what it means for the descenda...

This week we are joined by special guest Donald Campbell of The Forgotten Generations . TFG founded June 2021, is a not-for-profit organisation with aims and objectives to provide historical and current information of British African and Caribbean people for educational purposes. It was a pleasure to talk to Donald about his work collecting the stories of generations past and present and his own l...

On this week’s episode of The History Hotline, I am joined by Kandace Chimbiri, children’s author and speaker dedicated to teaching children (and adults) about modern and ancient Black history. We spoke about her love of Black History, from ancient African civilisations to the post-war migrations from the Caribbean to Britain and everything in between. UK listeners can get Kandace's books at Black...

Live show tickets!! This week's episode looks at Norman Manley's visit to Birmingham, caught up in the political debate on immigration in 1961. It explores his motivations for coming and what that says about the transnational links between the migrated populations of commonwealth countries and their new homes. Featured article on Manley's visit. To follow us on socials and check out what else we'r...

This week's episode is all about, UK elections, the ongoing genocide in Palestine and Sudan and the violence in Congo! We're having a live show, tickets available here! If you want to follow us on socials, click here

The Black People's Day of Action (1981) was a direct response to the New Cross Massacre that led to the deaths of 14 young Black people in New Cross, South London, 1981. This week I am thinking about the mobilisations and uprising of people we are currently witnessing across University campuses and in wider society... the response to a people that do not feel heard or seen. I will be contextualisi...

This week's episode features the brilliant Alexandria Miller who is a historian, writer, and multimedia documentarian who is passionate about capturing Caribbean stories. This episode we talk about our academic journeys, doing a PhD and some of the differences in studying Caribbean history for a US vs UK perspective. We discuss Alexandria's work on Jamaican women and her motivations for researchin...

Have you ever wondered how bun and cheese became Jamaica's Good Friday treat? Tune in to this week's episode to find out more about this history, how it came to be and what it signifies.

On Thursday 14th March, in a landmark decision the UK’s privy council overturned the murder conviction of the Jamaican dancehall artist Vybz Kartel, impacting also the ruling on his three co-defendants: Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St John.  It was overturned due to findings that the original conviction was compromised due to juror misconduct, during the 2014 trial. Vybz Kartel at t...

An episode based on my undergraduate dissertation that was all about political and religious influences of reggae music in the 1970s, which coincidentally talks us through some of things I wish the Bob Marley: One Love film did not give enough time to. This episodes explores the political context in 1970s Jamaica as well as the Rastafarian movement and the influences of these on reggae music as th...

“Try to pigeon hole Benjamin Zephaniah at your peril. Poet, writer, lyricist, musician, actor, republican, activist, campaigner, freedom fighter. It’s impossible. His achievements are too plentiful to mention.” – Opening for an interview with Shelley Carter for Birmingham Living magazine. Benjamin Zephaniah was born on 15th April 1958 in Handsworth, Birmingham. This episode looks at his life, his...

The Race Relations Act was passed in 1965. It set about to formerly criminalise racial discrimination but only certain kinds. This episode we'll be thinking about how successful this was in improving the situation for Black people in Britain, or was it performative and largely unhelpful? For more information on my PhD study email me at: d.r.a.lyncook@qmul.ac.uk or message me on social media. Keep...