Remembering Malcolm X in Smethwick

Malcolm X’s landmark visit to the Black Country remembered 60 years on

A series of events were held in February to mark the ground-breaking visit of American activist, civil rights campaigner and minister Malcolm X to the Black Country in February 1965.

Malcolm X was invited to the Black Country town of Smethwick by local anti-racist campaigners in response to a proposed segregation scheme for Marshall Street, which built on years of prejudice and discrimination in “the most racist town in Britain”.

MX60, an anti-racist festival, has brought together local activists and artists to mark the anniversary. An arts project in Smethwick which marks the anniversary, commissioned by Legacy West Midlands, was unveiled on Wednesday 12 February, on the 60th anniversary of the visit.

The lead campaigner for MX60 is Jagwant Johal, who is also the director of the Birmingham Race Impact Group. Talking about the history of Malcolm X’s visit, he said: “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 Sharpeville (South Africa), Selma (Alabama, USA) or Smethwick. The same racist scapegoating of Refugee and Asylum Seekers today is very much the background back then, leading the Indian Works Association to inviting Malcolm X to expose the unfolding apartheid in Smethwick.”

Black Country Living Museum (BCLM) hosted a study day on Saturday 8 February, bringing together experts on Malcolm X, Smethwick and the politics of race and racism in post-war Britain to provide the context for his visit and to better understand the important place this event holds in Black Country, British and global history.

The creation of the study day was led by BCLM Researcher, Simon Briercliffe, who said: “The visit of Malcolm X – one of the most famous people in the world in 1965 – to a street in Smethwick was a moment when the Black Country gained national and international attention. The visit was orchestrated by local people who wanted to draw attention to injustices in society, and as such is an important moment in the history of ordinary people’s lives in the Black Country.”

He continued: “We felt that it was important to mark this anniversary at the Museum as a way of bringing this little-known event to the fore, and to understand the contexts and the full fascinating story of the visit, for the Black Country and beyond. We are thrilled to be working alongside other organisations as part of an exciting season of events seeking to understand this subject from a range of perspectives.”

Head to our blog to read more about the story of Malcolm X’s visit to Smethwick.

This MX 60 Collective is a collaboration between:

• Birmingham Race Impact Group (BRIG)
• Black Country Living Museum
• Black Heritage Walks Network CIC
• Black History Arts and More
• Bright Ideas Nottingham
• Dynamexx Productions
• Jagdish Patel
• Kalaboration Arts
• Legacy West Midlands
• Recognize Black Heritage & Culture
• Savita Vij
• Shaheed Udham Singh Welfare Centre
• Stand Up To Racism Birmingham
• Stand Up To Racism Black Country