It has become a month of national recognition of the contribution made by African, Caribbean and Asian people in the UK. Here in Bristol, it is an unfortunate reality that the history of African and Caribbean people in the city is closely linked with the history of Bristol as an infamous stop off and trading point for slavery. Since the 1806 Act of Parliament that effectively abolished slavery in the UK, Bristol has been living with the ghosts of its past. Some say that the legacy of slavery in the city can be seen in events such as the Bristol Bus boycotts of the 1960’s, and the riots of the 1980’s.  | | | ROOTS is an initiative between BBC English Regions and the Arts Council of England | |
This history is still a hot topic today – and is evident in many aspects of the city’s identity. It is estimated that there are approximately 16,000 people of African and Caribbean heritage living in Bristol today. Black History Month is a chance for the whole city to educate and re-educate ourselves on the achievements and contributions of hose communities. Black history stories One of the many recorded accounts of slavery that can be found in Bristol is that of Dinah Black. In 1687 Dinah was a slave in Bristol, and was threatened by her ‘mistress’ to be sent to a plantation. Although, slavery had not been outlawed in England, there had been court cases that had made the transporting of slaves abroad virtually illegal. Dinah took her case to court, and eventually put a stop to her slaver’s plans to ship her out of the country. When her mistress refused to take her back, the court granted Dinah ‘freedom’ to find her own way in the world. This is Dinah’s story in her own words: “My name is Dinah and I have been a servant to my master in Bristol for some years. He told me he wanted to ship me out to the West Indies to work on the plantations. "I cried when I heard what he had done. I cried and ran away. I hid at the top of a house, but when the men found me they dragged me out. I fought them and screamed for help. "The people in the street seemed upset for me. One lady said my tears fell down my face like rain. She was upset, but like all nice people, she didn’t want to interfere, so I was put on a ship bound for Jamaica. "The ship I was on sailed up the river Avon and stopped for awhile near Portishead. When we were docked, the men took away my shoes but I still managed to sneak off the ship. "I hid in the woods until dark and walked miles and miles back to Bristol. The people they called Quakers have taken me in, they gave me food and clothes and said that it was against the law what my mistress did. "They said people like myself cannot be forced to go abroad if we don’t wish it. I hope they can help me. Life on the plantation is horrible. I do not want to go there." Alfred Fagon (1937 - 1986)  | | | The statue is in St Pauls | |
A leading Black playwright in the 1970’s and 80’s, Alfred Fagon was born in Jamaica in 1937. His plays include ‘The Death of a Blackman’ (1975), ‘Four Hundred Pounds’ ( 1983) and ‘Shakespeare Country’, which was produced by the BBC. He lived in Bristol for some years, and his life and achievements have been recognised by the city with a statue in the heart of St Pauls, near the junction between Ashley Road and Grosvenor Road. There is also an annual playwright's award that plays tribute to Alfred Fagon, and encourages Caribbean writers in the UK to be inspired by his success. James Peters The first black rugby player to represent England, Peters played 35 matches for Bristol between 1900-1902. In 1906, Peters was dropped from the tour match against South Africa, and many believe this may have been due to the colour of his skin. However, this did not stop him from continuing his success with the team. He went on to win a total of 5 caps for England. After his years with Bristol, Peters went on to play for Devon and Somerset, and later on for The Rugby League of Barrow. His last England appearance was at Ashton Gate when England played Wales and lost in heavy fog. He died in 1954 at the age of 74. It took Rugby another 80 years before another black player was capped at an International level. Your help  | | | Get back to your ROOTS! | |
We would like your suggestions for champions of the black communities in Bristol today – is there a friend, a neighbour, or a anyone who you feels deserves to be recognised? Throughout October there will also be events happening across the city to celebrate Black History Month. If you would like to share your experiences or events, or nominate a hero, please contact Chino, the ROOTS Project Co-ordinator on 0117 974 7469, or email chino.odimba@bbc.co.uk | 
