New Cross Massacre: Reflections 40 Years On

In January 1981, a house fire claimed the lives of 13 young black people in New Cross, London. The cause of the fire remains a mystery and still no one has been held accountable for the deaths. Police failure to properly investigate allegations of arson and the indifference of the establishment led to the largest protest march, the Black People’s Day of Action, in the history of the black community in the UK. Hear five personal reflections on the New Cross Massacre and the ensuing Black People’s Day of Action protest. Trustees of George Padmore Institute (GPI) Roxy Harris and Linton Kwesi Johnson along with academic and photographer Vron Ware, playwright Rex Obano and poet Jay Bernard talk about the impact of those events 40 years ago and the importance of the GPI in ensuring the tragedy of the New Cross Massacre is never forgotten. Part of the GPI’s Reaching New Generations Project funded by Arts Council England. The George Padmore Institute is an archive, educational research a