Correspondence from race relations organisations

This file comprises correspondence to the Indian Workers Association from various national race relations bodies, including the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants; the National Council for Civil Liberties; the National Committee for Commonwealth Immigrants; Campaign Against Racial Discrimination; and The Board of Deputies of British Jews. It also contains correspondence from more local race relations organisations, such as Towards Racial Justice, based in London; Hammersmith Council for Community Relations; and Handsworth Community Venture.

The main theme of the correspondence is cooperation between organisations, and letters from several different groups appeal to the Indian Workers Association for support and exchange of ideas. It is also clear from much of the correspondence, that there was a tension between the aims and attitudes of many race relations organisations, particularly those which were government supported, and those of the Indian Workers Association.

Letters from the National Council for Civil Liberties refer to matters discussed at committee meetings held at the Friends Meeting House in Birmingham, and mention the Birmingham Liaison Group, set up by the National Council on Civil Liberties. One of the letters contains an agenda for a committee meeting to be held 9 January 1967, including matters arising from a previous meeting, concerning racial discrimination issues in housing and education; Coventry doctors and the difficulty some patients experience in getting on the list; the West Midlands Conciliation Committee; and the Sikh community in Leamington.
This correspondence includes two letters dating from March and April 1968 which discuss the need to formulate a united, co-ordinated response to protest against racism in the aftermath of restrictions on immigration imposed by the government earlier that year. The reverse of the letter dated 4 March 1968 contains a handwritten draft response by Jagmohan Joshi. There is also a letter from Roy Parkinson, Chairman of the Midland Group of the National Council for Civil Liberties, discussing new bye-laws published by Birmingham City Council which prevent people from holding meetings, demonstrations and exhibitions in the Bull Ring, August 1968

Material relating to the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants includes a copy of the agenda for the Annual Meeting, held 14 December 1969, and the Annual Report 1968-1969. The Annual Report contains a list of the member organisations which include several branches of the Indian Workers Association. There are also several letters from either Michael Dummett, Chairman of the organisation, or Vishnu. D. Sharma, Honorary Secretary, and also an office bearer of Indian Workers Association (Southall). Most of these letters contain information about matters discussed and decisions taken by the Executive Committee of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, and include a lengthy appeal to the Indian Workers Association (GB) to affiliate to the organisation, setting out the benefits of doing so, and emphasising the achievements of the organisation since its establishment in 1967.
Other letters discuss the establishment of an Immigrants Welfare Trust by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants in 1969, including a Draft Constitution; the situation for British Asians in Uganda in 1970; and a detailed letter expressing the disappointment of Michael Dummett at the behaviour of representatives of some of the black organisations attending a meeting to discuss the formation of an alliance of black and white radical groups to fight the Immigration Bill, 29 March 1971

Correspondence from the Hammersmith Council for Community Relations is sent by Rev. Wilfred Wood, and consists of a letter giving information about an emergency conference of immigrant organisations to be held 21 April 1968 to discuss and vote on resolutions on the response of immigrant organisations to government proposals to re-constitute the National Committee for Commonwealth Immigrants; and a set of 'The Wood Proposals' for a Community Relations Grants Commission and a National Council for Racial Equality, 6 June 1968 with a covering letter explaining that the 'Wood Proposals' form amendments agreed by immigrant organisations to Part III of the Race Relations Bill

The file also includes single letters from other organisations, consisting of:
/22 from Sheila Wright, Chairman, and Melvin Parchment, Secretary of Handsworth Community Venture, inviting Jagmohan Joshi to the organisation's inaugural public meeting to discuss ideas for people living in Handsworth to work together on cultural, educational and recreational projects. This letter is undated
/23 from Martin Ennals, Information Officer of the National Committee for Commonwealth Immigrants, arranging a meeting between Jagmohan Joshi and other, unidentified, Birmingham organisations, 29 September 1966
/24 from Campaign Against Racial Discrimination to Shirley Joshi asking for the co-operation of other organisations involved in making representations on behalf of Commonwealth citizens refused entry to Britain, to jointly appoint a full-time immigration worker, 14 June 1967
/25 from 'Towards Racial Justice' asking for information about local organisations geared towards black and Indian people in Britain, in preparation for an article in a forthcoming issue 'Race Today', 11 September 1973
/26 from Martin Savitt, Chairman of the Defence and Group Relations Committee, The Board of Deputies of British Jews, to Jagmohan Joshi, Anti-Racial National Demonstration Committee, discussing a recent march to Downing Street to protest against the rise of racism and fascism in Britain, which members of the Jewish community attended, and expressing concern about comments made at this demonstration by Tariq Ali about Israel, 12 July 1976