Bristol Bus Boycott 1963

In 1963 the Bristol Omnibus Company refused to employ Black and Asian people, despite there being a shortage of crews. Rather shamefully, the Transport and General Workers Union also supported the ‘colour bar’ believing it to be in their interests. There were no laws against racism in the U.K. then, they followed in 1965 and 1968. 
A campaign against this discrimination was set up - the most prominent leaders were Roy Hackett and Paul Stephenson. A boycott of the buses started in April 1963 - partly inspired by Rosa Parks. Soon, the Black and Asian population of Bristol were supported by students, some churches, and supportive white residents, also other Trades Unions who pointed out the hypocrisy of campaigning against apartheid in South Africa and yet not applying those ideas at home. The Bristol MP Tony Benn also backed the boycott,  brought it to national attention, and increased the volume of the campaign. 
The bus company gave in ( much negotiation having taken place in the meantime, including local and national politicians, and diplomatic representatives of Caribbean countries). Not entirely due to the hit to their revenues from the boycott. It was the way the U.K. was moving anyway. I remember at this time learning at school in London  how wrong ‘racial discrimination’ was. In September 1963 first a Sikh, then a West Indian man  then two Pakistanis were hired on the Bristol buses. 
The Bus Boycott is being commemorated in Bristol in 2024 with exhibitions, music, radio programmes, and plaques put up at the Bus Station and the Unite offices. Unite is what the TGWU became, and they issued a formal apology for their policies and actions in 1963 - though not til 2013. Roy Hackett and Paul Stephenson were both given OBEs in the early 2000s. Paul Stephenson, a real hero in Bristol, died just a few weeks ago. He had continued to campaign without fear after the bus boycott, using tactics such as  a sit-in at a pub which refused to serve him, remaining until they did.  That takes a lot of bravery. 
The posters at bus stops - most appropriately - are to remain for a year. They were designed by 4 young Bristolians - this one by an 11 year old girl, Martha. The context is that I saw this on my walk in to Fareshare - on Temple Way.