Bristol Bus Boycott: Charity unveils mural to mark 60th anniversary

The mural honours many people involved in the boycott

A mural has been unveiled on Jamaica Street in Bristol to commemorate the pioneers behind the Bristol Bus Boycott on its 60th anniversary.

The mural, which is set to reach its completion soon, marks the start of a series of plannedactivities meant to honour the boycott that took place in 1963. 

The boycott was in response to the Bristol Omnibus company’s refusal to hire black workers. Eventually the bus company gave up, paving the way for Britain’s first racial law, the Race Relations Act 1965.

A cohort of boycott pioneers including Guy Bailey, Roy Hackett, Paul Stephenson, AudleyEvans, Owen Henry, and Prince Brown were honoured.

Local artistic including Oshii, Miss Roots, and Kya Beers have been designing the moral inpartnership with the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft - a community organisation based inthe Stokes Croft area of Bristol.

Local artists have worked on the mural

The inspiration for the artwork came from the larger Big Bristol Bus Boycott Takeover, anevent planned by the non-profit organisation Curiosity UnLtd to honour the 60th anniversary in 60 ways.

Julz Davis, from Curiosity UnLtd, said: “The images that we use are very bright, bold, and in your face.

“It will help to empower, educate and inform at the same time. Bristol is a city of radicalChangemakers. In a year of many anniversaries, the Bristol Bus Boycott stands heads andshoulders above the rest.”