During the #LIF2019 In:Visible Women week, we created interesting discussion and activities about race, working with a number of partners. The Liverpool 1919 Race Riots served as a starting point for these.
Our dual-heritage day encouraged and supported people of mixed-Irish heritage to share stories about their experiences of growing up or living in Liverpool, whilst considering their connections to Ireland (and other parts of the world), too.
We discussed ‘miscegenation’ and the growth of hate-speech terminology, considering how language is misused to support political fear-mongering. It interested us to compare what happened then with what has happened in modern society in relation to racism towards Irish and other groups.
Undertaken with Black History Month and Creative Organisations of Liverpool (COoL), Writing on the Wall (WoW) were the lead. Together we fundraised for a series of events and activities from Arts Council England, using grant support the Liverpool Mayoral Fund. Delivered in October 2019, the work included a brilliant film project that looked at the Liverpool 1919 Race Riots.
Expertly filmed and edited by First Take it featured movement and performance work directed by Tmesis Theatre, and music from Pagoda Arts; a voiceover from WoW and Black History Month Director Madeline Henegan and performers from across the city.
The film upholds the need to be vigilant against racism and shows how history repetition can be avoided. We share this film with you and encourage you to post it as widely as you can.
This is the amalgam of five short films. If you wish to view the short films individually, you can do so using the following links.
- Film 1 – Media fuels hatred
- Film 2 – Police raids
- Film 3 – Charles Wotton dies
- Film 4 – ‘For their safety’
- Film 5 – Resist racism today
We’d like to thank everyone involved in 2019’s Black History Month and look forward to returning with more work in 2020.