Catalogue Number
NMLH.1993.65
Object Name
Poster
Title
ANTI-NAZI LEAGUE. STOP THE NAZI RACISTS. ROCK AGAINST RACISM. CARNIVAL 2.
Place
Hyde Park & London
People
musicians:Costello,E; Aswad; et al
Date
1978
Description
This is a large colourful poster with a blue background. This displays a large orange, yellow, red circle, merging the 'Rock Against Racism' and 'Anti-Nazi League' logos together. The centre of the poster says "stop the Nazi Racists!" With an arrow saying "anti nazi league." Next to this there is a circle with a star inside, with the text "Rock Against Racism." The bottom of the poster has large yellow text saying CARNIVAL 2.Sunday September 24, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Sham69, Aswad, Misty. Hyde Park 11am March to Brixton." There is small black text at the bottom of the poster saying "Printed and published by the Anti Nazi League. P.O Box 151 London WC2." There is hand written text in a black pen at the top of the poster "Book here. £5.50 If working, £2.50 OAP or Dole. Book Early."
Rock Against Racism was a political and cultural movement which emerged in 1976 in response to racist attacks in the UK and increasing support for the far-right National Front at the ballot box.
The Anti-Nazi League was an organisation set up in 1977 on the initiative of the Socialist Workers Party with sponsorship from some trade unions with the endorsement of a list of prominent people to oppose the rise of far-right groups in the United Kingdom. With support for the movement growing, in 1978 RAR organised two national Carnivals in London in conjunction with the Anti-Nazi League (ANL) to counteract the rising number of racist attacks in the UK.
On 30 April 1978, 100,000 people marched six miles from Trafalgar Square to the East End of London (a National Front hotspot) for an open-air concert at Victoria Park in Hackney. The concert featured The Clash,Steel Pulse, Tom Robinson Band, X-Ray Spex, Jimmy Pursey (from Sham 69), and Patrik Fitzgerald. The Southall-based reggae band Misty In Roots led the parade from the back of a lorry. For the second Carniva, which is what this poster is advertising, a similar number of people marched from Hyde Park, crossing the Thames until they arrived at Brockwell Park in Brixton for a concert featuring Aswad, Elvis Costello and Stiff Little Fingers.
Further Carnivals were organised by local RAR and ANL groups, often with the help of sympathetic councils and trade unions. The biggest of these, in August, attracted 40,000 to the Northern Carnival in Manchester. There, over a couple of days, Buzzcocks, Steel Pulse, The Fall, Graham Parker and the Rumour, Exodus, and China Street all performed; a week later at the Deeply Vale Festival, a Rock Against Racism day was held.
In 1981, Leeds RAR organized the last RAR Carnival at Potternewton Park in Chapeltown. Bands who played included The Specials, Aswad, Au Pairs and Misty in Roots.
