Distribution

Britain on Film: Black Britain

Dir: various

United Kingdom (UK)

1901 - 1985

91 mins

12A

Play Dates

  • Show All
  • South East
  • London
  • Midlands
  • Scotland
  • Wales
  • North
  • South West
  • Northern Ireland

African Weekender

24/11/2017

- 24/11/2017

Birmingham

Alfred Hitchcock Community Cinema

11/05/2017

- 11/05/2017

Leyton

Arts Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 29/06/2017

Excluded Dates: 26,27,28

Cambridge

Arts Picturehouse

18/01/2018

- 18/01/2018

Cambridge

Barbican Centre

08/10/2017

- 08/10/2017

City of London,

London

Bedford Central Library

12/10/2018

- 12/10/2018

Bedford

Black Arts Forum / VOWS

01/10/2017

- 01/10/2017

Black Country Living Museum

05/10/2017

- 05/10/2017

Dudley

Black Country Touring

03/11/2017

- 03/11/2017

West Bromwich

Black Country Touring

02/02/2018

- 02/02/2018

West Bromwich

Black History Studies

18/03/2017

- 18/03/2017

Tottenham

Black History Studies

05/10/2017

- 05/10/2017

Tottenham

Black History Studies

08/10/2017

- 08/10/2017

Tottenham

Broadway Cinema

16/07/2017

- 16/07/2017

Nottingham

Bruce Castle Museum

24/06/2019

- 24/06/2019

London

Cambridge City Council

14/10/2018

- 14/10/2018

(Screening hosted by Cambridge Caribbean Association)

Cambridge

Cameo Cinema

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Edinburgh

Chapter

21/07/2017

- 25/07/2017

Excluded Dates: 22,23,24

Cardiff

Chichester Cinema at New Park

07/10/2017

- 07/10/2017

Chichester

Cinema City

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Norwich

City Screen Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

York

Clapham Library

20/10/2017

- 20/10/2017

Lambeth,

London

Clapham Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Lambeth,

London

Clapham Picturehouse

31/10/2017

- 31/10/2017

(Educational screening)

Lambeth,

London

Crouch End Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Haringey,

London

Curzon Cinema & Arts

17/09/2017

- 17/09/2017

Clevedon

Depot

12/10/2018

- 19/10/2018

Excluded Dates: 17th

Lewes

Duke of York's Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Brighton

Ealing Libraries

10/10/2019

- 10/10/2019

Ealing

East Dulwich Picturehouse & Cafe

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Southwark,

London

East Dulwich Picturehouse & Cafe

17/10/2017

- 17/10/2017

Southwark,

London

East Staffordshire Borough Council

04/10/2018

- 04/10/2018

Burton-on-Trent

Eden Court Theatre

13/05/2017

- 14/05/2017

Exeter Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Exeter

Faith and Minority Ethnic Network

18/10/2017

- 18/10/2017

London

Film Africa

20/10/2017

- 20/10/2017

Westminster,

London

Films at Shadforth

18/06/2017

- 18/06/2017

Shadforth

Friends of The National Archives

16/05/2018

- 16/05/2018

Richmond

Gate Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Kensington and Chelsea,

London

Glasgow Film Theatre

27/06/2017

- 27/06/2017

Glasgow

Greenwich Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Greenwich,

London

Hackney Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Hackney,

London

Harbour Lights Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Southampton

HOME

15/08/2017

- 15/08/2017

Manchester

Ideas Test

11/11/2017

- 11/11/2017

Sittingbourne

Independent Cinema MK

08/09/2017

- 08/09/2017

Milton Keynes

Into Film Festival

23/11/2017

- 23/11/2017

London

Into Film Festival

24/11/2017

- 24/11/2017

London

JW3

17/10/2017

- 17/10/2017

Camden,

London

Little Theatre Cinema

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Bath

mac

16/08/2017

- 16/08/2017

Birmingham

mac

01/03/2018

- 01/03/2018

Birmingham

Magdalen College - Racial Equity Committee

28/10/2019

- 28/10/2019

Oxford

Manchester Central Library

30/10/2017

- 30/10/2017

Manchester

Mental Fight Club

15/10/2018

- 15/10/2018

London

Mo's MOJO

17/10/2017

- 17/10/2017

Barking

National Maritime Museum Cornwall

17/10/2018

- 17/10/2018

Falmouth

National Science & Media Museum

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Bradford

New Black Film Collective

20/10/2017

- 20/10/2017

London

New Black Film Collective

22/10/2017

- 22/10/2017

London

Norsaca Community Centre

18/10/2019

- 18/10/2019

Hanley

Northampton Filmhouse

04/07/2017

- 04/07/2017

Northampton

Norwich Theatre Royal

10/10/2018

- 10/10/2018

Norwich

Ofcom

11/07/2017

- 11/07/2017

London

Peckhamplex

13/10/2017

- 19/10/2017

Southwark,

London

Phoenix Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Oxford

Picturehouse @ FACT

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Liverpool

Picturehouse Central

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Westminster,

London

Portsmouth Film Society

17/10/2019

- 17/10/2019

Portsmouth

Queen's Film Theatre

20/06/2017

- 20/06/2017

Belfast

Reading Central Library

18/10/2019

- 18/10/2019

Reading

Rio Cinema

17/05/2017

- 17/05/2017

London

Salisbury Arts Centre

07/02/2018

- 07/02/2018

Salisbury

Screen25

07/06/2017

- 07/06/2017

Croydon,

London

Sheffield University Film Unit

19/10/2019

- 19/10/2019

Sheffield

Showroom Workstation

05/10/2017

- 05/10/2017

Sheffield

SOAS, University of London Students Union

25/10/2017

- 25/10/2017

London

SOAS, University of London Students Union

04/11/2019

- 04/11/2019

London

South Yardley Library

11/10/2018

- 20/10/2018

Excluded Dates: 12th-19th

Birmingham

Stratford East Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Newham,

London

Streatham Free Film Festival

22/09/2019

- 22/09/2019

The Keep Archives

11/10/2018

- 11/10/2018

Brighton

The Leyburn Arts Centre Ltd

05/10/2018

- 05/10/2018

Leyburn

The Next Chosen Generation

07/10/2017

- 07/10/2017

Basildon

The Roses Theatre

10/09/2017

- 14/09/2017

Excluded Dates: 11th,13th

Tewkesbury

The Watermark

01/06/2017

- 01/06/2017

Ivybridge

Town Hall Arts - Trowbridge

28/10/2017

- 28/10/2017

Trowbridge

Waltham Library

14/09/2018

- 14/09/2018

Waltham

Watershed

29/05/2017

- 01/06/2017

Bristol

Watershed

26/10/2017

- 26/10/2017

Bristol

Women of Keele Educate (WOKE)     

10/10/2019

- 10/10/2019

Newcastle-Under-Lyme

York University Students Union - BAME Network

29/10/2017

- 29/10/2017

York

African Weekender

24/11/2017

- 24/11/2017

Birmingham

Alfred Hitchcock Community Cinema

11/05/2017

- 11/05/2017

Leyton

Bedford Central Library

12/10/2018

- 12/10/2018

Bedford

Black Arts Forum / VOWS

01/10/2017

- 01/10/2017

Black Country Living Museum

05/10/2017

- 05/10/2017

Dudley

Black Country Touring

03/11/2017

- 03/11/2017

West Bromwich

Black Country Touring

02/02/2018

- 02/02/2018

West Bromwich

Black History Studies

18/03/2017

- 18/03/2017

Tottenham

Black History Studies

05/10/2017

- 05/10/2017

Tottenham

Black History Studies

08/10/2017

- 08/10/2017

Tottenham

Bruce Castle Museum

24/06/2019

- 24/06/2019

London

Cambridge City Council

14/10/2018

- 14/10/2018

(Screening hosted by Cambridge Caribbean Association)

Cambridge

Clapham Library

20/10/2017

- 20/10/2017

Lambeth,

London

Duke of York's Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Brighton

Ealing Libraries

10/10/2019

- 10/10/2019

Ealing

East Staffordshire Borough Council

04/10/2018

- 04/10/2018

Burton-on-Trent

Faith and Minority Ethnic Network

18/10/2017

- 18/10/2017

London

Films at Shadforth

18/06/2017

- 18/06/2017

Shadforth

Friends of The National Archives

16/05/2018

- 16/05/2018

Richmond

Ideas Test

11/11/2017

- 11/11/2017

Sittingbourne

Independent Cinema MK

08/09/2017

- 08/09/2017

Milton Keynes

Into Film Festival

23/11/2017

- 23/11/2017

London

Into Film Festival

24/11/2017

- 24/11/2017

London

Magdalen College - Racial Equity Committee

28/10/2019

- 28/10/2019

Oxford

Manchester Central Library

30/10/2017

- 30/10/2017

Manchester

Mental Fight Club

15/10/2018

- 15/10/2018

London

Mo's MOJO

17/10/2017

- 17/10/2017

Barking

National Maritime Museum Cornwall

17/10/2018

- 17/10/2018

Falmouth

New Black Film Collective

20/10/2017

- 20/10/2017

London

New Black Film Collective

22/10/2017

- 22/10/2017

London

Norsaca Community Centre

18/10/2019

- 18/10/2019

Hanley

Norwich Theatre Royal

10/10/2018

- 10/10/2018

Norwich

Ofcom

11/07/2017

- 11/07/2017

London

Phoenix Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Oxford

Picturehouse @ FACT

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Liverpool

Reading Central Library

18/10/2019

- 18/10/2019

Reading

Rio Cinema

17/05/2017

- 17/05/2017

London

Salisbury Arts Centre

07/02/2018

- 07/02/2018

Salisbury

SOAS, University of London Students Union

25/10/2017

- 25/10/2017

London

SOAS, University of London Students Union

04/11/2019

- 04/11/2019

London

South Yardley Library

11/10/2018

- 20/10/2018

Excluded Dates: 12th-19th

Birmingham

Streatham Free Film Festival

22/09/2019

- 22/09/2019

The Keep Archives

11/10/2018

- 11/10/2018

Brighton

The Next Chosen Generation

07/10/2017

- 07/10/2017

Basildon

The Roses Theatre

10/09/2017

- 14/09/2017

Excluded Dates: 11th,13th

Tewkesbury

Town Hall Arts - Trowbridge

28/10/2017

- 28/10/2017

Trowbridge

Waltham Library

14/09/2018

- 14/09/2018

Waltham

Women of Keele Educate (WOKE)     

10/10/2019

- 10/10/2019

Newcastle-Under-Lyme

York University Students Union - BAME Network

29/10/2017

- 29/10/2017

York

Arts Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 29/06/2017

Excluded Dates: 26,27,28

Cambridge

Arts Picturehouse

18/01/2018

- 18/01/2018

Cambridge

Chichester Cinema at New Park

07/10/2017

- 07/10/2017

Chichester

Cinema City

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Norwich

Depot

12/10/2018

- 19/10/2018

Excluded Dates: 17th

Lewes

Harbour Lights Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Southampton

Barbican Centre

08/10/2017

- 08/10/2017

City of London,

London

Clapham Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Lambeth,

London

Clapham Picturehouse

31/10/2017

- 31/10/2017

(Educational screening)

Lambeth,

London

Crouch End Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Haringey,

London

East Dulwich Picturehouse & Cafe

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Southwark,

London

East Dulwich Picturehouse & Cafe

17/10/2017

- 17/10/2017

Southwark,

London

Film Africa

20/10/2017

- 20/10/2017

Westminster,

London

Gate Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Kensington and Chelsea,

London

Greenwich Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Greenwich,

London

Hackney Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Hackney,

London

JW3

17/10/2017

- 17/10/2017

Camden,

London

Peckhamplex

13/10/2017

- 19/10/2017

Southwark,

London

Picturehouse Central

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Westminster,

London

Screen25

07/06/2017

- 07/06/2017

Croydon,

London

Stratford East Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Newham,

London

Broadway Cinema

16/07/2017

- 16/07/2017

Nottingham

mac

16/08/2017

- 16/08/2017

Birmingham

mac

01/03/2018

- 01/03/2018

Birmingham

Northampton Filmhouse

04/07/2017

- 04/07/2017

Northampton

Cameo Cinema

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Edinburgh

Eden Court Theatre

13/05/2017

- 14/05/2017

Glasgow Film Theatre

27/06/2017

- 27/06/2017

Glasgow

Chapter

21/07/2017

- 25/07/2017

Excluded Dates: 22,23,24

Cardiff

City Screen Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

York

HOME

15/08/2017

- 15/08/2017

Manchester

National Science & Media Museum

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Bradford

Sheffield University Film Unit

19/10/2019

- 19/10/2019

Sheffield

Showroom Workstation

05/10/2017

- 05/10/2017

Sheffield

The Leyburn Arts Centre Ltd

05/10/2018

- 05/10/2018

Leyburn

Curzon Cinema & Arts

17/09/2017

- 17/09/2017

Clevedon

Exeter Picturehouse

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Exeter

Little Theatre Cinema

25/06/2017

- 25/06/2017

Bath

Portsmouth Film Society

17/10/2019

- 17/10/2019

Portsmouth

The Watermark

01/06/2017

- 01/06/2017

Ivybridge

Watershed

29/05/2017

- 01/06/2017

Bristol

Watershed

26/10/2017

- 26/10/2017

Bristol

Queen's Film Theatre

20/06/2017

- 20/06/2017

Belfast

The third programme from Britain on Film on Tour explores the vital history of Black Britain throughout the 20th century.

Bringing together films spanning 1901 to 1985 and taken from many different regions of the UK, it offers rare, little-seen and incredibly valuable depictions of Black British life on screen.

See Black miners in the collieries of Edwardian Lancashire and Yorkshire, and soldiers from across the British Empire joining the services to fight for England in World War I; rare colour footage of multi-racial communities in ’50s Cardiff, a Nigerian family wedding in Cornwall in 1964, and touching interviews with Black school leavers in 1965. Our programme explores racism on a Liverpool housing estate, the Black community’s response to the 1981 New Cross Fire, and jubilant Carnival celebrations on the streets of Notting Hill.

Exploring a century of turbulent social change in the UK, Britain on Film: Black Britain is not just an important educative tool, offering audiences the chance to explore stories of migration, community and the struggles against racism and inequality, but also an opportunity to celebrate vivid Black British life, history and culture on screen.

Play Dates

This title is no longer available for booking from the ICO

Films in the programme

Britain on Film: Black Britain

Miners Leaving Pendlebury Colliery (1901) & Hull Fair (1902)

These rare films from Yorkshire and Lancashire feature two of the earliest representations of Black people on screen, reminding us that Black immigration into Britain did not begin with the arrival of the Empire Windrush in 1948.

For the Wounded (1915) & From Trinidad to Serve the Empire (1916)

During World War One, Black men from Britain and across the Empire joined the armed services to fight for the King and ‘mother country’. These are two of very few available films depicting Black servicemen in early British newsreels.

Hello! West Indies (1943)

Cricketing legend Learie Constantine, the first Black man to sit in the House of Lords, introduces this extract highlighting civilian jobs undertaken by West Indian workers in Britain during World War Two.

Mining Review 2nd Year No. 11 (1949)

American actor and singer Paul Robeson visits Woolmet Colliery near Edinburgh. Robeson had long been something of a hero to the British mining community, ever since he starred in the film The Proud Valley, and was a renowned left-wing political activist. In 1938 he was voted one of the top 10 most popular British film stars.

To the Four Corners (1957)

This extract of rare colour footage of multiracial Cardiff is the obvious highlight of this travelogue of Britain’s four nations. Look out for the newsstand promoting local rising star Shirley Bassey, who had recently enjoyed her first UK hit single.

Black Special Constable (1964) & Black Police Officers (1966)

In these two television clips from the Midlands, Reg Harcourt investigates attitudes towards what was then a controversial issue: ethnicity within the police force.

Cold Railway Workers (1964)

As temperatures plummeted during the Big Freeze of 1963, local TV reporter visits a group of railway workers in the Midlands to see how they’re coping. All the interviewees are West Indian, and the questions assume that they are unused to cold weather, which might explain some of the droll, monosyllabic responses.

Coloured School Leavers (1965)

Recent Black school leavers talk about their career ambitions and how racism may prevent them achieving their goals in this extract from current affairs TV programme ‘This Week’.

London Line No. 373 (1971)

Weekly TV programme London Line follows Ghanaian student Barbara, currently in her second year at the London College of Fashion and Clothing Technology, who hopes to ‘set the world of fashion alight’.

African Student Families (1975)

A television report investigating the support available for African overseas students, this is also a moving depiction of the work of the Commonwealth Students Children’s Society as they explain how their services operate and the different attitudes to fostering among British and African parents.

Liverpool 8 (1972)

This Week visits the Falkner housing estate in Liverpool to investigate recent incidents of racially motivated violence and tension between communities. In this extract, local Black and white youths relate encounters with one another, police discrimination and social deprivation.

Blood Ah Go Run (1982)

This prescient documentary by Menelik Shabazz was made in the aftermath of the New Cross Fire in January 1981, in which thirteen young Black people were killed. The bungled police investigation outraged the Black community and eventually led to a massive day of action and demonstration that is the subject of this short film.

The Jah People (1981)

Central Television magazine programme Here and Now reports from the Rastafari community in Handsworth. This extract presents interviews with a range of passionate and dedicated members of the religion, revealing a community like many others in search of roots, self-discovery and a spiritual homeland.

Grove Carnival (1981)

One of the world’s largest street festivals, the Notting Hill Carnival has taken place annually since 1966. This kaleidoscopic record from the 1980 event invites audiences both into and above the busy streets, taking in the diversity of the crowd and echoing the event’s relaxed yet ecstatic rhythm.

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