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The godfather of Black British photography on the evolution of Black British style

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“You would see men working on a building site in a shirt and tie. You were always told to be smart”
The Journal | Click here to view online version
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The Godfather Of Black British Photography On 50 Years Of Black British Style
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The Godfather Of Black British Photography On 50 Years Of Black British Style
Words by Mr Ryan Herman | Photography by Mr Vanley Burke
Often described as “the godfather of Black British photography”, Mr Vanley Burke moved to the UK from Jamaica in 1965 with a box Brownie camera that his mum bought him for his 10th birthday. Since then, he has been documenting the lives of people living in and around Handsworth, Birmingham, to create one of the most important and celebrated archives of Black British life and culture. Mr Burke’s work has been published in books, and displayed in galleries around the world. In 2018, he appeared on Desert Island Discs and is featured in a new book titled 100 Great Black Britons. To mark Black History Month in the UK, he has selected some of his favourite images charting the evolution of Black British style for MR PORTER. Over to you Mr Burke…
1969: House Party, West Bromwich
 
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“They look very dapper, don’t they? If you turned up to a party and didn’t look the part, then people would make comments and could turn on you a little bit. It was handed down from the previous generation that arrived in Britain just after WWII. You would see men working on a building site in a shirt and tie. You were always told to be smart. Most young men would be taught to sew buttons, iron suits and have a pair of well-polished shoes.”
1972: New Testament Church of God, George Street, Lozells
 
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“This was taken at a funeral. Again, the reason I chose this was because the men are well dressed. Guys would buy a length of cloth or fabric and take it to places like Mr Saunders, who was from St Kitts and had a tailor’s shop in Birmingham. They would then have a suit made for an important occasion. I’m actually still in touch with Neville. Quite a few people have said that images like this help them tell their children about the lives they’ve lived and what they used to wear. So the pictures also have a practical purpose.”
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