Leila Hassan facts for kids

Leila Hassan Howe is a British editor and activist. She was born on June 13, 1948. She helped start the Race Today Collective in 1973. Before that, she worked for the Institute of Race Relations. She became the editor of the Race Today magazine in 1986. Leila Hassan was also a member of the Black Unity and Freedom Party. In 2019, she co-edited a book that collected writings from Race Today.

Her Work and Activism

Leila Hassan was a key member of the Race Today Collective from when it began in 1973. She later became the editor of its magazine, Race Today, in 1986. From 1973, she was the magazine's deputy editor, working with Darcus Howe who was the editor. She often wrote for the magazine. Her articles covered topics like the Black Power movement in the USA and the lives of Black women in the UK.

Supporting Workers' Rights

In the 1970s, Leila Hassan and the Race Today Collective supported Asian factory workers. They campaigned during a 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.

Community and Culture

During the 1980s, she worked with Olive Morris. They ran "Basement Sessions" at Railton Road for Race Today. These sessions were places where people talked about art, culture, and politics. Many women, including Leila Hassan, helped lead the Race Today Collective. Their influence was very important. Other women involved were Altheia Jones-LeCointe, Barbara Beese, and Mala Dhondy.

In 1984, Leila Hassan helped the wives of striking coal miners come to London. They shared their stories with the Race Today magazine. She also worked to get Arts Council England to recognize the Notting Hill Carnival as an art form.

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

Early Activism

Leila Hassan became involved in the Black Power movement in the late 1960s. From 1970, she worked as an Information Officer for the Institute of Race Relations (IRR). While there, she helped change the IRR from a traditional group to one that was more focused on social change. She helped recruit new members who supported this new direction. Before joining the collective, she was a member of the Black Unity and Freedom Party.

In 2013, an exhibition about the British Black Panthers in Brixton included an interview with Leila Hassan Howe. She also advised on the script for John Ridley's 2017 TV series Guerrilla, which looked at the movement.

In 2019, Leila Hassan Howe co-edited a book called Here to Stay, Here to Fight. It was a collection of writings from Race Today. The book aimed to introduce new readers to Britain's Black radical politics.

In 2023, she was given an honorary fellowship from Goldsmiths, University of London. This special award was given in January 2024.

Personal 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. He was also a civil rights activist and was the editor of Race Today before her.

Selected Works

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