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The Race Relations Acts

1955 - The local bus company pass a resolution to ban people of colour from working on buses

1961 - The Bristol Evening Post exposed the bus companies racist policy, however the company's manager Ian Patey defended it.

1963 - Bristol Bus Boycott. The first campaign led by people of African and African Diaspora heritage against racial the blatant discrimination emerged led by a group of local Jamaicans including Roy Hackett. The Bristol Bus Boycott attracted national and international attention, and the pressure placed on the Bristol Omnibus Company finally forced it to end it's 'Colour Bar’.

1965 and 1986 - The campaign's success has not ended racial tension, institutionalised racism and inequality on buses or in Bristol, but it did spark the UK's Race relations acts of 1965 and 1986. The Race Relations Act 1965 was the first UK legislation which addressed the prohibition of racial discrimination. The Act banned racial discrimination in public settings and made it an offence to promote hate based on colour, race, ethnic or national origins. However it was a weak legislation that emphasised pacification rather than criminal sanctions (arguably this is still the same as it is socially unacceptable to be racist, but although acts of racism are a crime this it not reinforced by criminal punishment). The Race Relations Act in 1968 made discrimination within employment, housing and advertising unlawful. This aimed to ensure second generation immigrants would get jobs they were qualified for and houses they could afford. This act sought to enable more effective integration of immigrant communities. A Community Relations Committee was created to combat discrimination through the use of education.

The Race Relations Act 1976 extended the definition of discrimination so it included indirect discrimination. It allowed individuals to take complaints of discrimination against them to courts and industrial tribunals.

In 2000 the act was amended to give public authorities a new statutory duty to promote race equality. It outlawed discrimination and victimisation in all public authority functions.

More amendments were made in 2003 with the introduction of new definitions of indirect discrimination and harassment, new burden of proof requirements, continuing protection after employment ceases, new exemption for a determinate job requirement and the removal of certain other exceptions.

(Quiet reading)