New mural commemorates 60th anniversary of the Bristol Bus Boycott

A new mural commemorating the Bristol Bus Boycott of 1963 has been unveiled.

The Bristol Bus Boycott was a four month boycott led by Paul Stephenson OBE, Roy Hackett, Owen Henry and Prince Brown.

The boycott received national support from figures like Sir Learie Constantine, Harold Wilson and Tony Benn and helped pave the way for the Race Relations Act of 1965 and 1968.

Now, 60 years later, the men and women who bravely took part in the boycott are being commemorated in the mural, which covers the length of the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft on Jamaica Street.

The mural’s launch commemorates a season of events in August commemorating the Bristol Bus Boycott

Based on a design for a mug by Bristol artist Oshii, the mural was painted by volunteers and the drawings were done by artist Kya B.

The mural has been organised by Julz Davis, a Bristol born creative, and marks the beginning of a month long season of events as part of a Big Bristol Bus Boycott takeover.

The season will see a host of collaborative events celebrating 60 years of the bus boycott, with 60 different organisations, individuals and change makers, in the lead up to August 28, when a special event yet to be announced will celebrate those that took part.

Julz hopes the festival will highlight the legacy of the bus boycott and accelerate much needed change in what is currently the 7th most unequal city for people of colour to live in the UK today.

Standing in front of the mural at its unveiling was Raisham Allen, the great nephew of Paul Stephenson, who is now a bus driver for First Bus.

Great nephew of Paul Stephenson, Raisham Allen, now works as a bus driver for First Bus

As part of the season of events, Julz has been working with First Bus on an initiative called Drive for Change, where people submitted designs commemorating 60 years of the bus boycott.

The winning design has been painted onto a double decker bus, and will be unveiled on August 28, the anniversary day of the bus boycott.

Alongside the mural, the Struggle Continues, an exhibition at the PRSC, will centre around the boycott to explore movements that have come out of Bristol that have affected change on a bigger scale, such as the St Paul’s uprising and the tearing down of the Colston Statue.

There will also be a competition to name a police course, as well as various educational programmes across the month to bring more awareness to the boycott, including an arts trail which will see schools decorate 16 wooden replica buses across Bristol.

Dozens of organisations and individuals including Bristol City Council, Bristol Old Vic, Black South West Network, St Paul’s Carnival and more will be submitting their own ideas to find ways to say thank you to those that took part in the boycott.

A challenge has also been put to the city to come up with ideas of ways to make Bristol the best city for people of colour.

Speaking about the season of events, Julz told Bristol24/7 that it was important to have city-wide involvement to commemorate the boycott.

“We want to look at how we imagine ourselves as a city fit for the next generation that will be passing the baton too,” Julz told Bristol24/7.

“We are standing on the shoulders of giants, and we need to make sure the next generation aren’t fighting the same battles that we are today.”

All photos: Mia Vines Booth

Read next:

• Remembering the Bristol Bus Boycott 60 years on
• ‘Roy Hackett gave me and many others the strength and inspiration to tackle racism’
• Jesus joins Bristol Bus Boycott in new stained glass window

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