Malcolm in Marshall Street (1965)

[Submitted by Paul Quigley]

Malcolm X was known around the world as ‘the angriest Black man in America’ and an inspirational speaker on the injustices of America’s treatment of Black people. On a cold Friday in February 1965 he paid a brief visit to Marshall Street, Smethwick. The day turned out to be one of the last of his life, but his visit more than forty years ago still serves to highlight the long-running battle for equality fought by people coming to the town.

In the autumn of the previous year, the name of Smethwick had become known all over Britain as a by-word for racial tension. This came about because of an extended campaign by the Smethwick Conservative Party to oppose the presence of what they called ‘coloured immigrants’ in the town.

Early in 1965, their campaign focused on Marshall Street, a row of privately-owned Victorian terraced homes in the west of the town. Here, they were trying to use their control of the local Council to stop Black and Asian people buying properties in the area. Understandably, this attempt to skew the housing market on racial grounds was resisted by many local people and organisations. Among those fighting for a more positive approach to immigration in Smethwick, many could see links between the problems faced by people arriving in the town with the struggle for justice by African-Americans which was growing at the same time.

It was for this reason that Malcolm X was encouraged to visit Smethwick early in 1965 when he (unexpectedly) found himself in the UK. From his own point of view, he made it clear that intended his visit to Marshall Street to be an act of solidarity with Black and Asian people who wanted to live there.

Tragically, Malcolm’s short stay in Smethwick was overshadowed by his assassination in New York only a few days later. But the attempt by the Smethwick Conservatives to bar Black and Asian people from Marshall Street ultimately failed. Today, decades later, houses in the area are still providing homes to new arrivals looking for a better life. More details of Malcolm’s visit to Smethwick can be found at www.differenthistories.com (See link below)

Note: Many thanks to Paul for this piece of writing. The following pages also provide a visual gallery of local newspaper coverage of Malcolm's visit. Images researched by Dr Kevin Searle.