On February 12, 1965, Malcolm X, the prominent black American activist, visited Smethwick in the West Midlands, marking a defining moment in the global struggle for racial equality. This visit, known as the Malcolm X visit, took place amid what is remembered as the most racist election campaign the UK had ever seen, bringing together the US civil rights movement and the anti-racist movement in Britain. Today, the 60th anniversary of this pivotal Malcolm X visit will be commemorated with a mural on the exterior wall of the Ivy Bush pub in Smethwick.
Why Was Smethwick a Key Location for Malcolm X’s Visit?
At the time of Malcolm X’s visit, the Ivy Bush would not serve black customers, reflecting the widespread racial discrimination that existed in the area. The mural, to be painted by artist Bunny Bread, will depict Malcolm X alongside other key figures in the fight against racism: Claudia Jones, the campaigning journalist who helped launch the Notting Hill Carnival and Britain’s first black newspaper, and Avtar Singh Jouhl, the anti-racism activist who invited Malcolm X to Smethwick.
The visit occurred at a critical time in the international battle for equality. Just days before arriving in Smethwick, Malcolm X had visited Selma, Alabama, where civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was being held in jail after campaigning for equal voting rights. The UK, however, was grappling with its own racial issues.
What Was the Racial Climate in Smethwick During Malcolm X’s Visit?
In England, black and Asian workers in the West Midlands faced severe discrimination, violence, and intimidation. This came in the wake of the election of Conservative MP Peter Griffiths, whose campaign was marred by openly racist rhetoric and an unofficial slogan that directly targeted ethnic minorities. Following this election, a British branch of the Ku Klux Klan had been formed in Birmingham.
In Smethwick, racial segregation was pervasive. The “colour bar” operated in housing, workplaces, shops, and pubs, denying minority ethnic workers equal pay and access to basic amenities. Malcolm X witnessed this firsthand when he visited the Blue Gates pub, where customers were segregated, and saw the widespread racist practice of posting signs outside properties saying, “coloured people need not apply.” Commenting on the blatant discrimination, Malcolm X remarked, “This is worse than in America.”
How Did Malcolm X’s Visit Impact the Fight Against Racism in Britain?
The Malcolm X visit put the issue of racism in Britain on the international map. Just nine days after his visit to Smethwick, Malcolm X was tragically assassinated in New York. However, his visit served as a catalyst for change in the UK. Avtar Singh Jouhl, who played a crucial role in inviting Malcolm X to Smethwick, reflected, “Malcolm’s visit put racism in Britain on the international map … After he visited, things started changing.”
In the wake of Malcolm X’s visit, grassroots campaigning against racial discrimination began to gain significant momentum across the country. This activism led to the passing of the Race Relations Act at the end of 1965, the first piece of legislation of its kind in the UK. This Act came on the heels of decades of tireless campaigning against discrimination by individuals like Len Johnson, who challenged a Manchester color bar in the 1950s, and Paul Stephenson, who led the Bristol bus boycott in 1963 to fight against racist employment policies.
How Did Malcolm X Connect Global Struggles Against Racism?
The significance of Malcolm X’s visit to Smethwick went beyond local issues of discrimination. His presence in the UK helped connect the dots between various global struggles against racism. According to Jagwant Johal of the Birmingham Race Impact Group, “The story of how and why Malcolm X found himself in Smethwick is one of international Black unity and solidarity. The significance of the visit was to connect the dots of global racism, be it in Soweto, Alabama, or Smethwick.”
In particular, the Indian Workers’ Association in Smethwick invited Malcolm X to expose the unfolding apartheid-like conditions in the area. As Johal stated, “The same racist scapegoating of refugees and asylum seekers today was very much the background back then, leading the Indian Workers’ Association to invite Malcolm X to expose the unfolding apartheid in Smethwick.”
What Is the Legacy of Malcolm X’s Visit in Smethwick?
Today, 60 years after Malcolm X’s visit, his legacy continues to inspire anti-racism activism in the UK. The mural on the Ivy Bush will not only celebrate his historical visit but also honor the ongoing struggle for racial equality in Britain and beyond. The event forms part of a festival of anniversary celebrations organized by the anti-racist collective MX60. The mural will remind future generations of the international solidarity between the US civil rights movement and Britain’s fight against racism and the lasting impact of Malcolm X’s courageous stand.
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