Trevor Carter: Difference between revisions

| occupation = {{cslist|educatorEducator|government official}}

| organization = {{ubli|[[Young Communist League (Great Britain)|Young Communist League]] (YCL)|Caribbean Teachers Association|Caribbean Labour Congress|Notting Hill Carnival Trust| [[Black Theatre Co-operative]]|Hackney Community Relations Enterprise|[[War on Want]]}}

'''Trevor Carter''' (9 October 1930 – March 2008) was a British [[Marxism–Leninism|communist]] party leader, educator, black civil rights activist, and co-founder of the Caribbean Teachers Association. He served as the Headhead of Equalequal Opportunitiesopportunities for the [[Inner London Education Authority]]. He co-authored the 1986 book ''Shattering Illusions: West Indians in British Politics''.

Writers ofon British socialist movements have described Carter as "one of the [[Communist Party of Great Britain]]'s (CPGB) most important black members" from the mid-1950s until 1991.<ref name="Meddick2020">{{rsunreliable source?|date=August 2023}} {{Cite book|last1=Meddick|first1=Simon|title=Red Lives: Communists and the Struggle for Socialism|last2=Payne|first2=Liz|last3=Katz|first3=Phil|publisher=Manifesto Press Cooperative Limited|year=2020|isbn=|location=United Kingdom|pages=32}}</ref> Carter was a communist activist, and a member of the CPGB from his arrival in Britain in 1954 until the party was dissolved in 1991. [[Cheddi Jagan]] invited Carter to [[British Guiana]] to work in education.

At the age of 14, Carter left school and worked as a mess boy on a merchant ship; during this time he travelled to [[New Orleans]] where he observed [[Jim Crow laws|segregation]].<ref name=Wroe2008>{{Cite news |last=Wroe |first=Simon |date=20 March 2008 |title=Trevor, a true fighter for equality |work=[[Camden New Journal]] |url=http://www.thecnj.com/camden/2008/032008/obit032008_01.html |url-status=live |access-date=12 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430193035/http://www.thecnj.com/camden/2008/032008/obit032008_01.html |archive-date=30 April 2023}}</ref> Carter's "experiences in New Orleans at the height of racial segregation engendered a lifelong battle to improve race relations" according to Carter's obituary,<ref name= Wroe2008/> and made him vow to never live in the United States according to [[Graham Stevenson (trade union leader)|Graham Stevenson]], a British trade union leader.<ref name="Stevenson2011">{{Cite news |last= Stevenson|first= Graham |author-link= Graham Stevenson (trade union leader) |date=25 August 2011 |title=Carter Trevor |work=Encyclopedia of Communist Biographies|publisher= grahamstevenson.me.uk |url=https://grahamstevenson.me.uk/2011/08/25/carter-trevor/ |url-status=live |access-date=12 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430193137/https://grahamstevenson.me.uk/2011/08/25/carter-trevor/ |archive-date=30 April 2023}}</ref>

After travelling through various parts of the U.S., Carter moved to Britain to study architecture at [[Regent Street Polytechnic]].<ref name=Wong2009/> In 1954 he arrived in London as a member of the [[Windrush generation]].<ref name=Meddick2020/> According to Paul Okojie of [[Manchester Polytechnic]] in a 1987 book review published in ''[[Race & Class]]'', Carter described London during that period in his 1986 book, ''Shattering Illusions: West Indians in British Politics'' as "traumatic", and a place "which rejected, insulted, devalued and discriminated against" West Indians, where they "encountered humiliation and had to learn to survive within a system of economic, political and cultural subordination", writing that the work they could find was "invariably unskilled manual work" with long hours for little pay.<ref name= Okojie1987/>

After arriving inIn Britain, Carter lived for several years with fellow Caribbean communist activist [[Billy Strachan]], alongside Strachan's family.<ref>{[rs{unreliable source?|date=August 2023}} {{Cite book |last=Horsley |first=David |title=Billy Strachan 1921–1988: RAF Officer, Communist, Civil Rights Pioneer, Legal Administrator, Internationalist and Above All Caribbean Man |publisher=Caribbean Labour Solidarity |year=2019 |location=London |pages=14 |language=en |issn=2055-7035}}</ref> Carter described Strachan as his mentor.<ref>{{rsunreliable source?|date=August 2023}} {{Cite news |last=Horsley |first=David |date=23 May 2019 |title=Billy Strachan's was a remarkable life |work=Camden New Journal |url=http://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/article/billy-strachans-was-a-remarkable-life |url-status=live |access-date=12 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430193250/https://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/article/billy-strachans-was-a-remarkable-life |archive-date=30 April 2023}}</ref> Both Strachan and Carter would play a small role in assisting [[Claudia Jones]] in creating the ''[[West Indian Gazette]]'' (1958–1965).<ref>{{rsunreliable source?|date=August 2023}} {{Cite book |last=Horsley |title=Billy Strachan 1921–1988 |publisher= |year=2019 |location= |pages=25 |language=en |issn=}}</ref> Later in life, Carter recalled the Strachan family fondly, saying that he felt "a true affection in the Strachan family".<ref>{{rsunreliable source?|date=August 2023}} {{Cite book |last=Horsley |title=Billy Strachan 1921–1988 |publisher= |year=2019 |location= |pages=16 |language=en |issn=}}</ref>

Several daysSoon after arriving in Britain, Carter joined the [[Young Communist League (Great Britain)|Young Communist League]] (YCL), theand youth branch oflater, the [[Communist Party of Great Britain]] (CPGB), a party that he would also join.<ref name="Meddick2020" /> The CPGBHe was ablealso toactive gainin close contacts withthe Caribbean communistsLabor suchCongress as(CLC), Carterwhich throughhistorian its[[Bill supportSchwarz]] of thesuggests Londonoperated branchindependently of the CaribbeanCommunist Labour Congress (CLC)Party, andespite organisationbeing described[[Proscription|proscribed]] by the Labour Party and [[Trades Union Congress|TUC]] as a "communistCommunist front" which enjoyed contacts with left-wing revolutionaries throughout the West Indies.<ref name=Lalkar2010>{{Cite newsbook |datelast=April 2010Schwarz |titlefirst=Claudia Jones, communist |work=[[Lalkar (magazine)|Lalkar]] |url=http://www.lalkar.org/article/303/claudiajones-communist |url-status=live |access-date=12 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430193606/http://www.lalkar.org/article/303/claudiajones-communist |archive-date=30 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite bookBill |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j2O5DwAAQBAJ |title=West Indian Intellectuals in Britain |publisher=[[Manchester University Press]] |year=2013 |isbn=9781847795717 |editor-last=Schwarz |editor-first=Bill |editor-link=Bill Schwarz |location=United Kingdom |pages=57–58 |language=en |chapter=INTRODUCTION: Crossing the Seas |format=eBook}}</ref><ref name=Carter1986/>{{Rp|pages=45–47}}

According to Okojie, Carter says that the trade unions "refused to align with black people in their struggles against racial oppression", and quotes Carter as writing, "a clearer vision of our common good, which must be socialism, would help us to rescue black people from the margins of political activity".<ref name= Okojie1987/> Evan Smith cites page 62 of Carter's book in a 2008 ''[[Science & Society]]'' article to state that, during the 1950s, the Communist Party recruited Carter, Strachan and other black members but that, "for Carter, the 'stubborn class-before-race position of the Party during the fifties and sixties cost the Party dearly in terms of its [black] members'."<ref name=Smith2008>{{cite journal |title= Class before Race": British Communism and the Place of Empire in Postwar Race Relations |last= Smith |first= Evan |journal = Science & Society |volume = 72 |issue = 4 |date = October 2008 |pagepages= 455–481 |doi= 10.1521/siso.2008.72.4.455-481 |jstor= 40404511 |url= https://www.jstor.org/stable/40404511 }} </ref> A 2019 article by Geoff Brown in ''[[International Socialism (magazine)|International Socialism]]'' cites page 140 of ''Shattering Illusions'' where Carter says that his impression "was always that the left was genuinely concerned to mobilise the black community, but into their political battles", but because the left "never had time to look at our immediate problems&nbsp;... blacks ended up in total isolation within the broad left because of the left's basic dishonesty."<ref name= Brown2019>{{cite journal |url= https://isj.org.uk/tackling-racism-the-communist-party/ |title= Tackling racism: the Communist Party’sParty's mixed record |journal= International Socialism |issue= 163 |date= 1 July 2019 |first= Geoff |last= Brown}} </ref> A 2010 article in ''[[Lalkar (magazine)|Lalkar magazine]]'' cites page 62 of ''Shattering Illusions'', stating that Carter thought racism not an "inherent and permanent feature" of the left, and that he "stayed in the Communist Party" believing "comrades could learn and change their attitudes".<ref name= "Lalkar2010">{{Cite news |date=April 2010 |title=Claudia Jones, communist |work=[[Lalkar (magazine)|Lalkar]] |url=http://www.lalkar.org/article/303/claudiajones-communist |url-status=live |access-date=12 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430193606/http://www.lalkar.org/article/303/claudiajones-communist |archive-date=30 April 2023}}</ref> He adds that, "I don't think the party is dealing properly with racism and sometimes I get angry&nbsp;... The Labour Party occasionally has enticed me, but I know that my political education couldn't improve anywhere but in the Communist Party." <ref name= Lalkar2010/>

Carter greeted his cousin, Claudia Jones, when she arrived in the UK after being deported from the US in November 1955.<ref name=Wong2009/> Carter admired Jones for her understanding of racial and class issues.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Horsley |first=David |date=1 December 2020 |title=The political life and times of Claudia Jones |work=[[Morning Star (British newspaper)|The Morning Star]] |url=https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/f/political-life-and-times-claudia-jones |url-status=live |access-date=12 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430194037/https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/f/political-life-and-times-claudia-jones |archive-date=30 April 2023 |quote= In Britain, veteran Caribbean communists Billy Strachan, Trevor Carter and Cleston Taylor recognised Jones as having a greater understanding of race and class than themselves and a greater vision.}}</ref> On New Year's Eve 1955, Carter married Corinne Skinner at [[Christ Church, Hampstead]].<ref Jonesname="Wroe2008" quickly/> becameThe closeCarters moved to thelive couple,in and the three of them often collaborated on Caribbean cultural projectsHampstead.{{failed verification|date=August 2023}}<ref name=Wroe2008"Stevenson2011" />

In 1956, Carter was summoned by the British government to perform [[national service]] but did not want to take part in Britain's colonial wars.{{better source needed|date=August 2023}}<ref name="Manifesto2020" /> To help him avoid national service, British communist activist [[Palme Dutt]] arranged for Carter to instead travel to the Soviet Union.{{better source needed|date=August 2023}}<ref name="Manifesto2020" /> During his work for the CPGB and YCL, Carter travelled to both [[Moscow]] and [[Cuba]], and met [[Fidel Castro]] in Moscow.<ref name=Wroe2008/><ref name=Wroe2/>

In the aftermath of the [[Notting hill race riots|Notting Hill race riots]], and the 1959 [[murder of Kelso Cochrane]] by white youths, Carter, Corinne Skinner-Carter and Claudia Jones were among a committee that sought to create a carnival to bring the London Caribbean community together. Their plans came to fruition on 30 January 1959, and Carter worked as the stage manager of the first [[British African-Caribbean people|British-Caribbean]] Carnival, held in [[St Pancras Town Hall]].<ref name="Wong2009" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Younge |first=Cary |date=17 August 2002 |title=The politics of partying |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2002/aug/17/nottinghillcarnival2002.nottinghillcarnival |access-date=5 July 2023}}</ref> This event was the precursor to the [[Notting Hill Carnival]], which would become one of the largest annual carnivals in the world. Carter continued to support and promote the Notting Hill Carnival, becoming involved in the annual celebrations for the remainder of his life. At one point, he also served as a member of the Notting Hill Carnival Trust.<ref name="Wong2009" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=K. Smith |first=Melanie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YklnDwAAQBAJ |title=Issues in Cultural Tourism Studies |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2015 |isbn=9781317664208 |language=en |format=ebook |access-date=3 May 2023}}</ref>{{page needed|date=August 2023}}<!-- at least provide section or chapter -->

[[Cheddi Jagan]] invited Carter to travel to [[British Guiana]],<ref name="Manifesto2020">{{unreliable source?|date=August 2023}} {{Cite book |title=Red Lives: Communists and the Struggle for Socialism |last2= |last3= |publisher=Manifesto Press Cooperative Limited / Communist Party of Britain |year=2020 |isbn=978-1-907464-45-4 |editor-last=Meddick |editor-first=Simon |pages=33 |editor-last2=Payne |editor-first2=Liz |editor-last3=Katz |editor-first3=Phil}}</ref> where Carter worked from 1963 to 1966 as a school teacher<ref name="Stevenson2011" /> with the [[People's Progressive Party (Guyana)|People's Progressive Party]], founded by Jagan.<ref name="Manifesto2020" /> During his time in Guiana, the political situation became unstable and he returned to Britain.<ref name="Manifesto2020" />

Sometime during the 1970s, Carter worked with [[The Mangrove]] restaurant, where a group of other activists known as "the [[Mangrove Nine]]" met.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jasper |first=Lee |author-link=Lee Jasper |date=4 December 2020 |title=The Mangrove: My University of activism |work=Operation Black Vote |url=https://www.obv.org.uk/node/12923 |url-status=live |access-date=12 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430194545/https://www.obv.org.uk/node/12923 |archive-date=30 April 2023}}</ref>

After graduation, Carter became a [[Qualified teacher status|qualified British teacher]] and began working at Brooke House secondary school in [[Lower Clapton]], [[Hackney, London|Hackney]], and later became the school's head of the social studies department.<ref name="Stevenson2011" /> Alongside other black activists, Carter became one of the founding members of the Caribbean Teachers Association, which led him to become involved in the Rampton Report, which found that the British educational system had been failing black students.<ref name="Manifesto2020" /> He contributed to another government educational reform white paper called the Swann Report as a member of [[Michael Swann|Lord Swann]]'s committee,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sherwood |first=Marika |author-link=Marika Sherwood|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YykqAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Trevor+Carter%22 |title=Claudia Jones: A Life in Exile |publisher=Lawrence & Wishart |year=1999 |pages=11 |isbn=9780853158820 |language=en |format=paperback}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Cashmore |first1=Ellis |author-link=Ellis Cashmore |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tOAR150mjZ4C&dq=%22Trevor+Carter%22&pg=PA161 |title=Introduction to Race Relations |last2=Troyna |first2=Barry |publisher=Falmer Press |year=1990 |isbn=9781850007593 |pages=161 |language=en |format=Hardcover}}</ref> work for which he was recommended to receive from the Queen[[Order of the [[British Empire#Current classes|Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire]] (MBE/OBE)]] by the educational authority.<ref name="Wroe2008" /> Carter rejected the award, citing his anti-colonial and communist beliefs.<ref name="Wroe2008" /> While Carter acknowledged that some black individuals had accusedsaid the Swann Report itself of beingwas racist, Carterbut consideredhe "consider[ed] this viewpointview to be misguided.";<ref name="TaylorFrancis2013">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q5doKnc2wJoC&dq=%22Trevor+Carter%22&pg=PA139 |title=Education for Democratic Citizenship: A Challenge for Multi-ethnic Societies |date=11 January 2013 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=9781136470240 |editor-last=Hoskin |editor-first=Marilyn B. |pages=139 |language=en |format=ebook |editor-last2=Sigel |editor-first2=Roberta S.}}</ref> Whilehe not wholeheartedlydidn't agreeingagree with the entirety of the Swann Report, Carterbut considered the report asit constructive.<ref name="TaylorFrancis2013" /> In 1987, Carterhe wrote a chapter discussing the Swann Report for a CPGB publication titled ''Racism and schools: contributions to a discussion.''.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Racism and schools : contributions to a discussion |publisher=[[Communist Party of Great Britain]] |year=1987 |isbn=9780714723648 |editor-last=Ebbutt |editor-first=Keith |location=John Street, London |pages=46–52 |language=en |editor-last2=Pearce |editor-first2=Bert}}</ref>

In 1987, Carter was elected to the central committee of the CPGB at the 40th Congress of the party.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OV1nAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Trevor+Carter%22 |title=Third World Impact |publisher=Hansib Pub. |year=1988 |isbn=9781870518048 |editor-last=Ali |editor-first=Arif |pages=348 |language=en |format=Hardcover}}</ref> After the CPGB dissolved in 1991, Carter joined the Labour Party and ran as a council candidate for Labour in [[Islington]].<ref name="Wroe2008" />

InWith 1986 with the help ofco-author [[Jean Coussins, Baroness Coussins|Jean Coussins]], Trevor Carter wrote ''Shattering Illusions: West Indians in British Politics'' in 1986,<ref name=Carter1986>{{Cite book |last=Carter |first=Trevor |url=https://archive.org/details/shatteringillusi0000cart/mode/2up |title=Shattering illusions : West Indians in British politics |publisher=Lawrence & Wishart |year=1986 |isbn=0275927407 |location=Museum Street, London |language=en}}</ref> a book which Stevenson says provided "a social and political commentary on the interface between Caribbean migrants and British society and politics from the Post War period up until the early 1980s".<ref name="Stevenson2011" /> Published by the left-wing press [[Lawrence & Wishart]], ''Shattering Illusions'' was reviewed by Paul Okojie, who described it as being of "both historical and contemporary import" for its criticism of white racism.<ref name= Okojie1987>{{Cite journal |last=Okojie |first=Paul |date=October 1987 |title=Book reviews : Shattering illusions: West Indians in British politics By Trevor Carter (London, Lawrence and Wishart, 1986) |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/030639688702900217#con |journal=Race & Class |volume=29 |issue=2 |pages=107–108 |doi=10.1177/030639688702900217 |s2cid=145052302 |via=Sage}}</ref> The book was described by [[Ellis Cashmore]] as an "insightful analysis of African-Caribbeans in Britain since the 1950s" bythat Professor"looks [[Ellisat Cashmore]]the emergence of black resistance to British racism".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cashmore |first=Ellis |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G_uEAgAAQBAJ&dq=%22Trevor+Carter%22&pg=PT55 |title=Dictionary of Race and Ethnic Relations |date=12 April 2002 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |chapter= Reading |isbn=9781134773886 |language=en |chapter-format=ebook}}</ref>

In 1998, Carter was interviewed for a documentary about [[Paul Robeson]] entitled ''[[Paul Robeson: Here I Stand]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 July 1998 |title=Trevor Carter |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/archive/interview/trevor-carter/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230504151548/https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/archive/interview/trevor-carter/ |archive-date=4 May 2023 |access-date=4 May 2023 |website=PBS}}</ref>

Carter died in early March 2008 at his home in [[Archway, London|Archway]], London. His funeral was held on 18 March 2008, at St Augustine's Church, Highgate,<ref name=Wroe2>{{cite news |last=Wroe |first=Simon |date=6 March 2008 |title=Obituary {{!}} Activist and socialist who was an inspiration to all |newspaper=Camden New Journal |url=http://www.thecnj.com/camden/2008/030608/obit030608_03.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430194920/https://www.thecnj.com/camden/2008/030608/obit030608_03.html |archive-date=30 April 2023}}</ref> with a eulogy titled "A Life with Purpose" being delivered by Professor [[Gus John]].<ref name="Wong2009" /> [[Jeremy Corbyn]] described him as a "hope and inspiration to many who were suffering appalling racism and discrimination as newly arrived workers from the West Indies".<ref name="Wroe2008" />