Inspirational Person of the Week
Roy Hackett: the civil rights hero who stood in front of a bus – and changed Britain for ever
Roy Hackett arrived in Bristol, UK in 1952. He says he was “born an activist”, calling out the rampant racism he witnessed. Hackett took on Bristol Omnibus Company which denied an interview to a black man purely due to the colour of his skin, he demanded justice and eventually saw it enacted. Hackett helped found the Commonwealth Coordinated Committee in Bristol.
Their most important campaign was the bus boycott. Hackett, alongside Owen Henry, Audley Evans, Prince Brown and Paul Stephenson, led the boycott against the buses, garnering national attention. The bus company eventually caved, and lifted their ‘colour bar’ on hiring. The boycott was the first of its kind and paved the way for future campaigns.
Whilst Hackett is now retired from his frontline activism, his legacy in Bristol remains strong.
Read time: 10 minutes |