Documents, statements and letters by the Indian Workers Association on the fight...

This file contains copy letters; press releases; flyers and information leaflets; and handwritten drafts of statements and speeches composed by Jagmohan Joshi and Avtar Jouhl. These papers all relate to Indian Workers Association campaigns against racial discrimination and immigration legislation in Britain during the 1960s and 1970s, and contain details about the organisation's views and policies on ways to tackle racism in British society.

/1 statement issued by the Indian Workers Association on an unidentified demonstration for the introduction of legislation against Racial Discrimination, placing this struggle in the context of struggles for human rights, and national liberation and civil rights struggles in South Africa and the southern states of the USA. The statement is undated, but is likely to have been issued during the early 1960s

/2 draft statement written in pencil by Jagmohan Joshi condemning the proposal by Smethwick councillor [Don] Finney to establish an all white committee, apparently to cater for the needs of the white community in Smethwick in the same way as the Indian Workers Association caters for the needs of immigrant communities in the area. This statement is undated, but is likely to have been issued in the atmosphere of racial tension that existed in Smethwick around the time of the 1964 General Election

/3 draft speech in Avtar Jouhl's handwriting with some annotations, addressing discrimination suffered by immigrants working in Britain, including instances of discrimination within the Trade Union movement, and emphasising the contribution made by these workers to the British economy. It is possible that the speech was written to be given at a communist meeting. This draft is undated, but the content of the speech suggests that it was written during the early 1960s, possibly around the time that the Labour government introduced a White Paper on immigration in 1965

/4 statement issued to mark a demonstration demanding the strengthening of the Race Relations Act to cover housing and employment, and the repeal of the [1962] Commonwealth Immigrants Act. The statement also calls for the Race Relations Board to restore confidence in the West Midlands Race Conciliation Committee by removing its chairman, Oscar Hahn, from office, and for the withdrawal of the White Paper on immigration. The statement was probably issued by the Indian Workers Association, and is likely to date from the mid 1960s

/5 draft statement handwritten by Jagmohan Joshi concerning a story in the 'Birmingham Mail' concerning racial discrimination in the letting of school halls in the city. The statement is undated, but is likely to have been issued during the mid 1960s.

/6 copy letter enclosing a press release to be issued at a conference called by the Co-ordinating Committee Against Racial Discrimination; the Indian Workers Association; the Pakistani Welfare Association; and the West Indian Standing Conference, at Dr Johnson House, Colmore Circus, Birmingham, 24 March 1966

/7-/10 information circulars to Indian Workers Association members and a draft statement handwritten by Jagmohan Joshi concerning a mass demonstration and rally at Birmingham Town Hall against the government's race policy, 2 July 1967. The handwritten statement includes the names of speakers at the rally.

/11 copy letter from Jagmohan Joshi to Dr Miller at the House of Commons, with thanks for help provided at the lobby of parliament by the Indian Workers Association [28 February 1968], and for consistently fighting against racism, 9 March 1968

/12-/15 flyer; memorandum; petition; and draft statement handwritten by Jagmohan Joshi concerning the visit of the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, to Birmingham 5 May 1968. The flyer urges people to join an Indian Workers Association demonstration to protest against the growth of fascism and the use of racism by British political parties, while the memorandum explains to Harold Wilson the reasons for the demonstration by the Indian Workers Association and other black and Asian groups. The petition is written in English, Punjabi and Urdu, and sets out a list of six demands for the reform of immigration legislation so that husbands and fiances of women living in Britain are allowed to settle in the country. It contains the signatures and addresses of several people.

/16 copy letter from Jagmohan Joshi to recipient addressed as Miss Bates discussing action taken by progressive groups to oppose racism in Britain, 20 June 1969

/17-/44 draft statements handwritten by Jagmohan Joshi on various instances of racial discrimination, and on campaigns and demonstrations against racism led by the Indian Workers Association or the Black Peoples Alliance during the late 1960s and 1970

/45 copy letter from K. S. Sanghera, Acting Secretary of the Birmingham branch of the Indian Workers Association asking colleagues to attend a meeting organised by Aston University students to discuss ways of preventing Colin Jordan, the far right wing leader, from holding a meeting at Digbeth Civic Hall in Birmingham. This letter is undated, but was probably written during the late 1960s or the 1970s

/46 draft statement handwritten by Avtar Jouhl to be issued on behalf of the Central Executive Committee of the Indian Workers Association condemning implicit racial discrimination in some questions asked in the forthcoming [1971] census

/47 letter in English and Punjabi sent by Jagmohan Joshi to immigrant organisations inviting them to a meeting organised by the Indian Workers Association which the Home Office minister Alex Lyon will attend, giving people the opportunity to discuss problems faced by immigrant communities, particularly since the 1971 Immigrants Act. The meeting was to be held 21 February 1975 at Conway Road School, Sparkbrook, Birmingham. The letter is dated 3 February 1975

/48 single page of an information leaflet or pamphlet issued by Avtar Jouhl, President, and Teja Singh Sahota, General Secretary, of the Indian Workers Association on immigration legislation, and in particular the Green Paper on Nationality issued by the Labour government in 1977

/49 leaflet in Punjabi issued by the Indian Workers Association setting out the immigration policy announced by Home Office Minister James Callaghan, undated

/50 miscellaneous handwritten notes on racial discrimination