Black History Month: 9 October 2020
Born to West Indian parents in 1937, Paul Stephenson worked as a social worker and was pivotal in arranging the Bristol Bus Boycott. During the 1960s, the Bristol omnibus company were not employing black people, only behind the scenes in positions such as a mechanic. However, no one would admit this was the case, although it was well known. In 1961, the Bristol Post ran a series of articles claiming that there was "a colour bar", and Stephenson sent one of his pupils, Guy Bailey, who was also Black, to try to get a job there in response.
When Bailey was rejected, Stephenson contacted the newspapers, and a quickly growing boycott shocked the company. As demonstrations were held throughout the city, big politicians gave their support, so people of colour were allowed to work in front-facing jobs on public transport. Stephenson was also charged for failing to leave a licensed premise, but the case was dismissed, and the barman was fired. His activism led in part to the Race Relations Act of 1965. He was awarded an OBE in 2009 and more recently people in Bristol are calling for the statue of slave traded Edward Colston to be replaced by one of Stephenson.
Want to find out more about Paul Stephenson? Click here for more information, or here for more about the Bristol Bus Boycott.
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