Nearly fifty years since the pivotal concert in London’s Victoria Park, the significance, morals and aspirations of the Rock Against Racism movement have never been more important. In a current climate that can be described as being as divided as it is volatile, it is easy to draw parallels between today and the 1970s. A decade that can be simultaneously characterised by discontent, rising unemployment and poverty, along with a steep escalation in racism and racially motivated violence, the 1970s were a breeding ground for far-right extremism.
Flashing forward some 50 years later, it is plausible to state that the same qualms have similarly come to mark our everyday life, with the modern mainstream repeatedly being permeated by a burgeoning balloon of right-wing rhetoric. To gain some insight into the current environment, it may be worth looking back at those 1970s punks who confronted prejudice head-on.
With a founding that was catalysed by a racist outburst from musician Eric Clapton in Birmingham, Rock Against Racism’s birth in 1976 marked an irreversible step in the significance of grassroots organisations. Founded by artists and activists alike, such as Red Saunders and Roger Huddle, Rock Against Racism’s (RAR) primary aim was that of discouraging young people from embracing extremism and racism.
Organised around the rapidly blossoming UK punk and reggae scenes of the 1970s, RAR worked alongside the Anti-Nazi League, subsequently forming a three-part conglomerate that sought to aid British urban youth’s acceptance of different cultures. This was achieved by numerous concerts and carnivals, whereby black and white bands would share the stage, with over 300 events being held in 1978/79 alone.
The widely regarded pinnacle of the Rock Against Racism movement can be traced back to April 1978. A collaborative effort between RAR and the Anti Nazi League, the two groups orchestrated a march from London’s Trafalgar Square to Victoria Park, with over 100,000 attendees. The march was topped off by a concert, with punk pillars The Clash and X-Ray Spex, along with the Midlands roots reggae outfit Steel Pulse, featuring on the revered bill. The 30th of April 1978 was a day in which the power of music could not be understated, with inclusivity and equality both emerging as the day’s real winners.
RAR was an integral means of disseminating youth support for right-wing extremist groups, such as the National Front, and building a culture of inclusivity, beginning from the musician’s stage and then beyond. Despite the movement dissolving in the early 1980s, its most recent reincarnation, Love Music Hate Racism, is currently holding the torch for honouring diversity, increasing representation and creating racial justice. With a name that directly originates from Rock Against Racism’s own manifesto, Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR) continues to foster inclusivity through musical means. Alike to its predecessor, there are currently numerous LMHR groups and events throughout the country, including in Edinburgh, with the movement celebrating its 20th birthday in July of this year.
In a world that is increasingly fostered upon divisions, the power of music as a galvanising agent cannot be underestimated. RAR and its later incarnations are testaments to the significance of grassroots movements in attracting attention to pressing political plights. After all, in the words of singer and activist Billy Bragg:
“Rock Against Racism was a watershed in the development of multiculturalism in this country, and from its celebratory concerts sprang Two Tone, Red Wedge and the world music scene. We fought the narrow-mindedness of the National Front by widening our cultural horizons”.
Even though the name may have changed, the morals and aspirations of Rock Against Racism are still as applicable today as they were five decades prior.
“Rock Against Racism flyer (front)” by Peter Labrow is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.