The carnival was started by a fellow Trinidadian named Claudia Jones (nee Cumberbatch). Claudia was born in Belmont in 1915, immigrated to the US in 1924. She joined the Communist Party in 1936 (illegal at that time), the FBI started a file on her in 1942 and she was eventually convicted and deported to the UK (much to Trinidad’s relief).
She continued her activism in the UK. In 1959 she organized the 1st of 6 indoor carnivals (with the above slogan) as a direct result of the Notting Hill riots. She did not live to see the evolution of the indoor carnivals into the Notting Hill Carnival, Europe’s largest street festival. She died in 1964 at 49 and today a plaque honours her contribution to Notting Hill Carnival. Notting Hill Carnival held today and tomorrow (under more security than the recent Royal wedding). And tomorrow our beautiful and qualified June Robinson will be representing the Antoines at the Leeds parade!
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