From 1982 to 1995 there existed a unique ‘meeting of the continents’ — the International Book Fair of Radical Black and Third World Books. Held in the UK, at first in London and then also in other parts of the country, the Book Fair brought together people from across the globe to participate in debates, forums, readings, musical events, films, plays and other cultural productions as well as to browse through stalls from a multiplicity of publishers. Completely self-financing, the Book Fair relied on people paying for their own travel and staying in the homes of Book Fair organisers. Volunteers worked through the year to help to put together and publicise events. The twelve Book Fairs and Book Fair Festivals celebrated enormous cultural and political achievements, addressing the key issues of the times, with leading writers and artists participating in cultural events. These mirrored the achievements of black people in the outside world and, by the end of the Book Fair in 1995, there had been a visible transformation in British society.

Edited by Sarah White, Roxy Harris and Sharmilla Beezmohun

Published by New Beacon Books