From Bobby To Babylon

From Bobby to Babylon, originally published in 1988, brings together a series of articles and interviews which provide the background and context to the urban rebellions which exploded across Britain in the wake of the Brixton riots of 1981, from the point of view of black people in Britain. Darcus Howe was born in Moruga, Trinidad in 1943. He came to England in 1962. For over 50 years he was a political activist and a journalist. His activism, had, as its major focus, police oppression in the black community. He took part in a Black Power rebellion in Trinidad in 1970 and became a member of the British Black Panther Movement when he returned to Britain. He came to prominence as one of the 'Mangrove Nine', after being arrested on a march outside Notting Hill police station to protest against police raids of the Mangrove restaurant. He defended himself during the subsequent trial and famously argued that the defendants should have an all-black jury of their peers. His journalism covered a wide range; from sport, through literary criticism to political commentary. His articles appeared in The Sunday Times, The Times, The Guardian, The Yorkshire Post, Time Out, West Indian World, the New Statesman and The Voice. He was the editor of Race Today from 1974-1985 and was a chairman of the Notting Hill Carnival. This new edition includes an additional article by Darcus Howe on the Notting Hill riots of 1977 and an article by the campaigning solicitor Gareth Pierce on the on-going significance of Darcus' political activism.