Previously unseen photographs of the disturbances that erupted in Toxteth three decades ago will be displayed at Liverpool’s International Slavery Museum. Toxteth 1981, runs from 1 July 2011 to 1 July 2012 and will feature a series of images of the unrest referred to as the 'Toxteth riots' or 'uprising'. The exhibition, a collaboration with Merseyside Black History Month Group (MBHMG) and Writing on the Wall (WoW), will include photographs taken by residents as well as journalists.
Dr Richard Benjamin, head of the International Slavery Museum, said: “The poignant images in our latest exhibition Toxteth 1981 go on display some 30 years after the violent clashes on the streets of Toxteth, a socially and economically disadvantaged area of Liverpool, made headlines around the world. It has been a thought provoking and informative collaboration with members of the Liverpool black community which has made this exhibition possible as well as offering a personal community perspective of these events."
Sonia Bassey-Williams, former MBHMG chair, said: “The 1981 Toxteth riots was a significant moment in the history of Liverpool, a time that brought national press to the city, highlighting the oppression of local people and the environment they were living in, whilst also creating a platform to open dialogue with national government about how best to support the Toxteth community in relation to issues like unemployment, housing and use of the 'sus' laws in the community.
“This collaborative project has enabled the collection of a vast amount of information relating to events of that time and, in addition to the exhibition, the commemorative DVD present untold stories from local people who were working or living in Toxteth in 1981 or taking part in the riots".
The disturbances of July 1981 involved primarily black and white youths against the police and made headlines nationally and around the world. During this period, Toxteth was blighted by poor housing and high unemployment. A general mistrust of police preceded the troubles. The spark to the disturbances was the stopping, searching and arrest of a young black male on suspicion of taking a motorbike without consent (it was later established he had permission). On being put in a police van a group of youths came to his assistance and released him.
During an ensuing week of chaos, the streets of Toxteth witnessed street battles, police baton charges, looting and the first use of CS gas by the police for crowd control on the British mainland.
www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/toxteth1981