Black Screen Britain

1: Ambassadors for the Race
Burt Caesar presents the first of two programmes exploring how British film and television drama in the 1950s and 60s portrayed African-Caribbean immigrants and created opportunities for pioneering black actors in work such as A Man from the Sun, Fable, Pool of London, Flame in the Streets and Jemima and Johnny.

2: Reclaiming Our Image
In the 1970s the prevailing images of black people were as muggers and thieves or as the butt of comedians’ jokes. But a growing number of black writers and film makers started to challenge these stereotypes to tell their own stories. Burt Caesar charts the landmark screen dramas such as Pressure, Empire Road and Burning an Illusion which presented an alternative view of black lives in Britain.

Contributors include: actors Earl Cameron CBE, Mona Hammond, Cy Grant, Joan Hooley, Rudolph Walker, writer Michael Abbensetts, film makers John Akomfrah OBE, Menelek Shabazz, Alrick Riley, commentators June Givanni, Dr Jim Pines and Baroness Lola Young.

Most of the films discussed in this series can be viewed free of charge at the BFI Southbank's Mediatheque in London or at the Quad in Derby

Producer Mukti Jain Campion

Radio Choice: The Guardian Guide, the Observer, The Independent & The Times.
Radio 4 Pick of the Week