There’s been some progress since 1965,but focusing on individual prejudice has avoided tackling endemic systematic racism, leaving significant inequalitiesThe Race Relations Act was passed 50 years ago, and outlawing the racist discrimination that was the daily experience of migrants from the empire. No longer would signs of no blacks,no Irish, no dogs” be allowed and it was made illegal to refuse service or job opportunities on the basis of skin colour. The act was an important step in reducing the prejudice that ethnic minorities faced, and which are unimaginable for many of us now.
I remember,growing up, that there were chalk marks external my primary school directing people to National Front meetings, or in secondary school there were sporadic “raids” by skinheads from the next door estate who would elope round trying to intimidate the “darkies” (this came to a stop when they received a beating from the less than impressed students). But this was the closest I ever came to encountering far-just racism,and was a long way from the experiences of an earlier generation, who had to navigate attacks as section of their daily life. Racist attacks are still common in the UK today, and increasing,but there has nonetheless been a clear shift in the culture.
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Source: theguardian.com