On June 12, 1954, a protest led by Black Caribbean workers erupted over discriminatory hiring practices at British Rail in London. Many West Indian migrants, invited to help rebuild post-war Britain, faced racism despite critical labor shortages. Workers were often denied promotions and subjected to wage disparities. The protest forced public dialogue and parliamentary inquiries into racial discrimination in employment. It became one of the early moments of organized Black labor resistance in the UK and laid groundwork for later anti-racist legislation, including the Race Relations Acts. The June 12 protest demonstrated the power of collective organizing by immigrant communities in shaping British civil rights policy.
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