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Abstract

This dissertation seeks to examine the extent to which the topics of racism and anti-racism impacted politics and society in the 1970s. To do this, it examines the impact of the far-right, specifically Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood Speech’ and the National Front. It looks into their perceptions in the media at the time with the use of newspapers. It also focuses on how several anti-racist organisations were perceived in the media using sources from the period and analyses their wider impact. The research shows mostly negative media perceptions but this did not stop Powell’s speech and the anti-racist movements from having a wider impact. The National Front had less of an impact as a result of their media perception and other factors. After this, it focuses on the town of Southall as a case study for racism and anti-racism in the 1970s. It shows that Southall played an important role in the anti-racist protest in this period. Events in Southall inspired further action in other towns and cities. It is argued that racism and anti-racism had a huge impact on politics and society in the 1970s due to the divisiveness of Powell’s speech causing an expansion of the debate on race and immigration. This increased debate led to the growth of far-right and anti-racist groups that clashed, with a large expansion of anti-racist groups in particular in this period.

Course: History - BA (Hons) - C1087

Date Deposited: 2022-12-08

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis14082.html