What happened when Malcolm X visited Smethwick in 1965?
People who met Malcolm X when he visited Smethwick in 1965 are set to inspire a brand new play, supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
Black Country playwright Paul Magson has been awarded £14,783 to create the play about Malcolm X’s little-known visit to Smethwick in February 1965 - just nine days before he was assassinated.
Against the backdrop of the swinging sixties, Marshall Street brings to life four imagined characters who saw and met the iconic American figure who was invited to Smethwick by the Indian Workers Association, to investigate the treatment of Black and Asian workers and families in the area. At the time, Conservative MP for the town, Peter Griffiths, was backing a campaign to prevent Black and Asian families from obtaining houses in Marshall Street.
As part of the project, Paul will talk to Smethwick residents who met the US civil rights activist during his visit to a local school, The Blue Gates pub and Marshall Street itself, where there is a blue plaque commemorating his visit.
Peter Knott, Area Director for Arts Council England, said: “Arts and culture have the power to evoke change, memories and bring history to life, and this piece asks important questions about society and the history of the West Midlands.
“We are delighted that this National Lottery funding is supporting a project which will explore untold stories involving an international political figure through the eyes of local people.”
Playwright Paul Magson said: “I am always shocked that many local people don’t know about this important event in our recent history.
“The politics and issues of the time have never been more relevant as we grapple with hate crime, Brexit, ‘fake news’ and a whirlwind of politics and I hope the play will open up real conversations in local communities.”
Marshall Street will be performed in September and October in Smethwick and Birmingham.
