Black History Month serves as a time to reflect on the accomplishments, struggles, and contributions of Black communities throughout the world. In the UK, it’s not only a moment of celebration but also an opportunity to explore the history and influence of Black British media.
The role of media in celebrating history
Media has always played a critical role in shaping cultural narratives, providing a platform for storytelling and reflection.
But for Black communities, especially in Britain, media representation has been an ongoing struggle for decades.
As traditional outlets often failed to reflect the diversity and complexity of Black experiences, Black British media emerged as a necessary counter-narrative, telling stories that were often overlooked.
The roots of black british media
The origins of Black British media date back to the post-World War II era, when waves of Caribbean and African immigrants arrived in Britain.
Despite their contributions to society, the representation of Black Britons in the media was virtually non-existent.
Early Black British media platforms were created out of necessity – spaces where Black voices could be heard and stories shared without distortion.
These media outlets often took the form of small newspapers and community bulletins that directly addressed the issues affecting Black people in the UK at that time.
The evolution of black british media
The following Black figures were some of the first to represent the Black community in the UK's communication industry and helped shape Black British Media's evolution.
1. Samuel Clestine Edwards (1892)
Samuel Celestine Edwards was recognised as the UK’s first ever black newspaper editor, who published the Christian Evidence paper, Lux, in 1892 and the anti-racist monthly magazine, Fraternity, in 1893.
Through Samuel’s role, he advocated for the equality of black lives in Sunderland. (Chronicle Live)
2. Claudia Jones (1958)
Claudia Jones founded The West Indian Gazette in 1958, which became the first commercial black newspaper in the UK, in addition to founding another publication, The Caribbean Times, in 1959. These newspapers covered news and events dedicated to the Caribbean community, which played a significant role in promoting social and political activism in the UK.
Claudia was a key figure in advancing racial equality and bringing Caribbean culture into British society. (I Am History)
3. Barbara Blake-Hannah (1968)
In 1968, Barbara Blake-Hannah became the first Black person to appear on UK television in a non-entertainment position. She was a TV presenter on iTV news and current affairs programme Tonight with Eamonn Andrews.
Barbara reported on multiple stories from the closing-down sale of the Beatles’ Baker Street Shop, to gang crime in the East End of London.
One of Barbara’s previous works includes an interview with Prime Minister Harold Wilson and one of the biggest film stars at the time, Michael Caine. (The Guardian & iTV)
4. Sir Trevor McDonald (1973)
Trevor McDonald first entered into communications when he joined the Caribbean service radio with BBC World Service in 1969.
When Trevor joined ITN in 1973, he became the first Black male TV reporter, and one of the most prominent presenters.
Over the years, Trevor secured the first-ever interview with Nelson Mandela after his release, as well as speaking to Saddam Hussein and Colonel Gaddafi. He reported on iTV’s programme The News at Ten. (BBC Sounds)
5. Moira Stuart (1978)
After Moira Stuart made her debut on Radio 4, in 1978, she became BBC’s first black female newsreader. In the BBC, Moira presented in programmes, such as News After Noon and Six O’Clock News.
Moira was awarded for Best Newscaster of the Year (1988), Best Television Personality (1989), Best Female Television Personality (1994) and many more.
Moira joined Classic FM in 2019, where she is presenting in the Hall of Fame Concert programme every Saturday evening. (Classic FM & Wikipedia)
6. Val McCalla (1982)
In 1982, Val McCalla founded The Voice newspaper. It covered hard news, investigations and human-interest stories with sports, fashion and entertainment.
The Voice reported on developments relating to the Windrush and confronted injustices, such as discriminatory policing.
The Voice celebrated its 40th anniversary through a collaboration with King Charles III, becoming the guest editor of the September 2022 issue. (CNN & Independent)
British media has made progress in embracing diversity, but it still has some work to do before, as an industry, we can reflect the diverse audience of the UK. As we celebrate black history over the coming weeks, we’ll share more on inspiring Black journalists continuing to pave the way in Black British Media.
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