Leila Hassan facts for kids

Leila Hassan Howe (born 13 June 1948) is a British editor and activist. She is known for her important work fighting for fairness and equality. She helped start the Race Today Collective in 1973. Before that, she worked for the Institute of Race Relations. Later, in 1986, she became the editor of the Race Today magazine. Leila Hassan was also a member of the Black Unity and Freedom Party. In 2019, she helped put together a book of writings from Race Today.

Who is Leila Hassan Howe?

Leila Hassan Howe has dedicated her life to making things fairer for everyone. She is an activist, which means she works to bring about social or political change. She is also an editor, meaning she helps prepare written material for publication.

Her Work with Race Today

Leila Hassan was a key member of the Race Today Collective from when it began in 1973. This group worked to share important news and ideas about race and equality. She became the deputy editor of their magazine, Race Today, in 1973. Later, in 1986, she took over as the main editor.

Leila often wrote for the magazine herself. She explored many topics, from the Black Power movement in the USA to the lives of Black women in the UK.

Fighting for Rights

In the 1970s, Leila and the Race Today Collective supported Asian factory workers. They campaigned for workers who were on strike at the Imperial Typewriters factory in Leicester in 1974. Leila Hassan Howe called this "one of the most powerful strikes of the time." The workers did not get support from their union, so the Collective stepped in to help.

In the 1980s, Leila worked with Olive Morris to run "Basement Sessions" at Railton Road. These were meetings where people discussed art, culture, and politics. Many women, including Leila, were leaders in the Race Today Collective. In 1984, Leila helped the wives of striking coal miners come to London. They shared their stories with the Race Today magazine.

Supporting Arts and Culture

Leila Hassan also worked hard to get the Notting Hill Carnival recognized as an important art form. She wanted Arts Council England to see its cultural value.

After the New Cross house fire in January 1981, 13 young Black people died. Leila Hassan helped organize a huge march in London on March 2. About 20,000 people took part in this "Black People's Day of Action." This event is now seen as a very important moment for Black British identity.

Early Activism and Black Power

Leila Hassan became involved in the Black Power movement in the late 1960s. This movement aimed to empower Black communities. From 1970, she worked as an Information Officer for the Institute of Race Relations (IRR).

While at the IRR, she helped change the organization. It moved from being more traditional to taking a stronger stand on political issues. Leila was very important in getting new members who supported this change. Before joining the Race Today Collective, she was also a member of the Black Unity and Freedom Party.

Later Work and Recognition

In 2013, an exhibition about the British Black Panthers in Brixton featured an interview with Leila Hassan Howe. She also helped as a script advisor for a TV series called Guerrilla in 2017. This series looked at the Black Power movement.

In 2019, Leila Hassan Howe co-edited a book called Here to Stay, Here to Fight. It collected writings from Race Today magazine. The book aimed to introduce new readers to important Black radical politics in Britain.

In 2023, Goldsmiths, University of London announced that Leila Hassan Howe would receive an honorary fellowship. This special award was given to her in January 2024.

About Her Life

Leila Ramadhan Hassan was born on June 13, 1948, in Zanzibar. Her family was Muslim, and she grew up following the faith.

Leila Hassan was married to Darcus Howe, who was also a civil rights activist. He was the editor of Race Today before she took over.

Selected works

• Here to Stay, Here to Fight (2019) – co-edited with Robin Bunce and Paul Field.