A Common History (1984)

Overview

A record of the unity and continuity of black struggle in Britain. Underlines the fact that the 'new' black communities consist of workers from different countries in Asia and the Caribbean joined in the same struggles against racism in Britain since World War Two. The film focuses on discrimination in employment against black workers, looking particularly at the 1974 dispute at Imperial Typewriters in Leicester. Here black workers faced opposition not only from the bosses, but from some Trade Unions as well as fellow white workers. And the film demonstrates that the outrage of young black people (many born in Britain) as seen in the dramatic events of Summer 1981, is related to the disappointed hopes of their migrant-worker parents.