Watched an episode of Roots the other day...

[Nogbad the Bad]

with my two teenage kids. Kunte Kinte / Toby was coming to the end of his days and Chicken George was just about to go off cock fighting. They were mildly shocked by the language being used as the "N" word was used so much. I told them that when it was first broadcast that kind of thing was commonplace and no-one batted an eyelid but the series was good for dealing with peoples views of black people especially in the North East.
I then said to them that when the series first aired I had hardly ever seen a black man in "real life". They thought I was taking the piss
The first black people I can remember seeing were Pedro Richards and Tristram Benjamin who played for Notts County at Roker Park. I was about twelve and right at the front of the clockstand paddocks. The ball came to me and I threw it back to Pedro and he said cheers mate, I was fascinated seeing a blackman so close and he spoke to me
Even when I moved south to go to University it was a culture shock to see so many blacks and Asians in the streets. My kids couldn't believe it but it's amazing how this factor of life has changed so quickly.

[back_to_winning_ways]

There was one black family living near us when i was little. (Dad was black Mam was white).
They were really canny and the eldest son was in my class. I can't remember there ever being an issue about him being black, he was just one of us and firends with everyone.

[GTG]

Originally Posted by Nogbad the Bad

with my two teenage kids. Kunte Kinte / Toby was coming to the end of his days and Chicken George was just about to go off cock fighting.

You must have really liked the series if you named your kids after two of its characters!

[gizmoganzee]

That was riveting when I was a kid! A real eye opener like

[Barry Siddall]

Originally Posted by GTG

You must have really liked the series if you named your kids after two of its characters!

[Nogbad the Bad]

Originally Posted by GTG

You must have really liked the series if you named your kids after two of its characters!

I wanted to call the eldest one Kunte Kinte but the missus kept whipping me and said his name is Toby. He gets called Toby but knows in his heart of hearts that he is Kunte Kinte really

[Dave Herbal]

The first black man I spoke to was Roly Gregoire, near Roker park. Me dad said "go and get his autograph", and I said "how do you know it's him?".

I realise now he was the only black man within 5 miles of Roker Park in 1977

[Wierd Valley Mackem]

Originally Posted by Nogbad the Bad

with my two teenage kids. Kunte Kinte / Toby was coming to the end of his days and Chicken George was just about to go off cock fighting. They were mildly shocked by the language being used as the "N" word was used so much. I told them that when it was first broadcast that kind of thing was commonplace and no-one batted an eyelid but the series was good for dealing with peoples views of black people especially in the North East.
I then said to them that when the series first aired I had hardly ever seen a black man in "real life". They thought I was taking the piss
The first black people I can remember seeing were Pedro Richards and Tristram Benjamin who played for Notts County at Roker Park. I was about twelve and right at the front of the clockstand paddocks. The ball came to me and I threw it back to Pedro and he said cheers mate, I was fascinated seeing a blackman so close and he spoke to me
Even when I moved south to go to University it was a culture shock to see so many blacks and Asians in the streets. My kids couldn't believe it but it's amazing how this factor of life has changed so quickly.

That was a great series, what channel was it on? id love to see it again. Cant really remember the first time i saw a black person but it probably was at the match?

[JonMc]

Originally Posted by Nogbad the Bad

I wanted to call the eldest one Kunte Kinte but the missus kept whipping me and said his name is Toby. He gets called Toby but knows in his heart of hearts that he is Kunte Kinte really

A mag mate of mine wanted to call his new black lab pup after the dog in the film Dambusters. His wife threatened divorce and after a week of serious thought he relented.

I was quite shocked a few years after watching Roots to find out that much of the story wasn't fact but written drama to fit in with the ethos of the series. It was then that I started to dip my toes into the waters of history and discovered the beauty and power of it as a tool.

First black couple I saw was in London as a young kid. I was glued - they both looked spectacularly beautiful and it's something that's remained with me to this day - an appreciation of ethnic form. They were a tad embarrassed at first but me dad explained the situation and they were great about it.

[Nogbad the Bad]

Originally Posted by Wierd Valley Mackem

That was a great series, what channel was it on? id love to see it again. Cant really remember the first time i saw a black person but it probably was at the match?

It was on some real obscure satellite channel. I only picked up on it halfway through the series so have episodes 4,5 & 6 taped. Watched ep4 with the kids but they want to watch it from the start now so I need to try and find a torrent somewhere. Definitely would be better to see it from when Kunte Kinte first gets collared in Africa. Brilliant series at the time and well worth another watch.

Definitely a question for the older posters - Who was the first black man you saw "in the flesh"