Jackie Walker (activist) facts for kids

Jacqueline Walker, born on April 10, 1954, is a British writer and activist. She has worked as a teacher and helped train people to fight racism. Jackie Walker wrote a book about her family called Pilgrim State. She also co-wrote and performed in a play called The Lynching. She used to be a leader in the Labour Party and a group called Momentum. Later, she was suspended and then removed from the Labour Party.

Early Life and Family Background

Jackie Walker has a unique family history. Her mother, Dorothy Brown, was from Jamaica and had both African and Jewish roots. Dorothy's family included a Portuguese Jew who came to the West Indies long ago and a female slave who became Jewish.

Dorothy was born in Jamaica in 1915. She moved to the United States to study medicine. There, she met Jackie's father, Jack Cohen. His Jewish family came to New York from Russia around 1918.

Jackie was born in Harlem, New York City, in 1954. When she was two, her mother, Jackie, and her stepbrother moved to Jamaica. In 1959, they moved to London, England.

Life was often hard for Jackie and her family. They faced poverty and racism. Her mother had periods of severe depression. Because of these challenges, Jackie and her stepbrothers sometimes lived in care homes or with foster families. Jackie was the only black child in her primary school and experienced bullying. When she was 11, her mother passed away, and Jackie then lived in care homes before being permanently fostered.

Education and Career Path

Jackie Walker was part of the National Youth Theatre when she was young. However, she decided to become a teacher instead. She studied at Goldsmiths College. She got married and had a baby during her first year of college.

After becoming a teacher, she worked with young people who had emotional and behavioral difficulties. Jackie also earned a special degree where she studied how Black British writers develop their identity.

She received a grant to finish her family memoir, Pilgrim State, which was published in 2006. This book was even used for social worker training at Brunel University London. Jackie has also worked as an anti-racism trainer and for charities. She has written educational materials on fighting racism.

Involvement with the Labour Party

Jackie Walker joined the Labour Party in 1981. This is a major political party in the United Kingdom. She became a Vice-Chair for her local Labour Party group. She also played a big part in a campaign to stop a different political leader from being elected in 2015.

In September 2015, she became the Vice-Chair of Momentum, a group that supports the Labour Party. She was also a member of Jewish Voice for Labour. On March 27, 2019, Jackie Walker was removed from the Labour Party. This happened because of what the party called "prejudicial and grossly detrimental behaviour."

Public Appearances and Films

Jackie Walker has spoken at various events and appeared in films. In March 2017, she gave a talk at Dundee University about free speech and issues related to Palestine. Some groups tried to stop her from speaking, but they were not successful. She believes there is a difference between supporting Palestine and being against Jewish people.

She also performed her one-woman show, The Lynching, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2017. This show was about her own experiences. Some groups expressed concern about the show being performed. Jackie felt this was an attempt to stop her show.

Jackie Walker was interviewed in a TV series called The Lobby by Al Jazeera. This series looked at groups and people who support Israel in the United Kingdom.

In September 2018, a film called The Political Lynching of Jackie Walker was shown. This film was about attempts to silence critics of Israel. The event had to be stopped because of a bomb threat. Another film, Witch Hunt, about accusations of antisemitism against Jackie Walker and others, premiered in February 2019.

Activism and Beliefs

When she was younger, Jackie Walker was active in the Anti-Apartheid Movement. This movement worked to end racial segregation in South Africa.

She supports the rights of Palestinians and has criticized Israeli policies. She also supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. This movement encourages people to boycott, divest from, and sanction Israel to pressure it regarding Palestinian rights. She is a member of groups like Jews for Justice for Palestinians and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Jackie Walker is a founder of the Kent Anti-Racist Network. She believes that it is acceptable to disagree with the idea of a Jewish state. She supported Jeremy Corbyn when he was the leader of the Labour Party. She said he had always opposed racism and injustice.

Personal Life

Jackie Walker holds citizenship in both the United States and Britain. She has said that she is Jewish and her partner is also Jewish. She was raised Catholic for part of her childhood.

She has three children. In 2010, she moved to Broadstairs, Kent, where she lives with her partner, Graham Bash.

See also

• The Lobby (TV series)
• Antisemitism in the UK Labour Party