We Stand Together: Black History and Black Lives at Together TV
At Together TV we recognise the vital importance of acknowledging social issues and ongoing struggles of minority communities. We Stand Together for equality and racial justice, and are keen to amplify the voices of those that have been historically overlooked or ignored.
As the leading TV channel for social change, over several years we have celebrated Black History month on the channel by broadcasting an extensive range of documentaries on a variety of subjects from stories of immigration to the work of revolutionary young activists.
In times like these, we wanted to share these stories with you once again in the form of a resourceful list. Below is a collection of some of our shows exploring, highlighting and celebrating Black history and culture; these are all available to watch either on our channel, TogetherTV.com, or on other online platforms.
Watch on Together TV:
Black and British: A Forgotten History: Friday 4th June and Sunday 7thJune at 7.45pm
David Olusoga’s Black and British: A Forgotten History returns to Together TV this week to highlight the importance of remembering the compelling but often overlooked stories of Black figures from British history. The series was first broadcast on Together TV in 2019 but has been brought back to the channel to highlight the importance of learning Black History in times like these.
Lost Legends: Sunday 7th June at 5:00pm and Thursday 10th June at 00:15am
This short documentary provides a snapshot into the background of Black History Month; a number of brilliant Black narrators explain the shaping and making of Black History Month and its continued relevance today.
Watch On-Demand Now:
To celebrate Black History Month in 2018, the Together TV series Heroes showcased stories of brilliant Black figures from recent history. This episode focussed on the life of Althea Gibson, an American tennis player who made history when in 1956 she became the first African-American to win a grand slam.
In this show, Actor Danny John Jules, best known for his roles in Red Dwarf and Death in Paradise, takes his bike on a journey across the Caribbean. Along with Steve Keys, Danny explores his roots and ancestry, all whilst raising awareness of Prostate Cancer and how it effects a huge number of Black men every year. This series was first broadcast on Together TV in October 2018.
Journeys – Stories of Immigration
This documentary highlights the stories of immigration from 1948 to 1971; a time when the UK invited those from the Commonwealth to make the journey to come and work in Britain. Many people came from the Caribbean and beyond in search of new opportunities and have now become an integral part of this country. The series was first broadcast on Together TV in October 2018
Produced by the Clapham Film Unit filmmaking collective, this documentary looks at the rich black culture of Brixton. The series trained local people to share their own stories on film, as well as drawing on archive footage from the area in order to take viewers on a journey from past through to present day Brixton. This series was first broadcast on the Together TV channel in October 2018.
This documentary uncovers the truth about continued colourism within the UK. 30 Black British individuals were invited to talk about matters that affected them; from light skinned privilege to the influence of media and the wedge forming among the Black British community. Director Naomi Grant does an excellent job of shining a light on the contemporary black female experience in the UK. The series was premiered on Together TV in October 2017.
Watch elsewhere online:
If you don’t catch the doc Lost Legends on Together TV, then you can watch the short film here.
This short series was the idea of Wilfred Emanuel Jones, one of Britain's only black farmers. Fuelled by his belief that the English countryside is far too white, he sets up his own rural scholarship to try and change the lack of diversity in the industry. The series was shown on Together TV in 2011 when the channel was known as The Community Channel.
This award-winning documentary, directed by Penny Woolcock, charts the attempts by two warring gangs, the Burger Bar Boys and the Johnson Crew, to bring peace to their neighbourhoods in inner city Birmingham. This was shown on Together TV in 2013 when the channel was known as The Community Channel.
The Boy Who Changed the Law is the story of how a young Black boy used the Human Rights Act to change the way police treat 17 year olds. Since the case he brought, 17 year olds have the right for an appropriate adult (such as a family member) to be present when questioned at a police station. The short doc was first show on Together TV in October 2018.
To find out more about Black Lives Matter UK & to support their cause visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ukblm-fund
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