Former U.K. Black Broadcast News Pioneer ‘Feels Meghan Markle’s Pain’
Britian’s 1st Black TV news presenter says she’s not surprised to learn racism against Meghan Markle was a key factor the Duke & Duchess of Sussex choosing to leave the monarchy in England for private lives in Southern California!
Barbara Blake-Hannah spoke via videochat from Jamaica, where she returned after anti-Black viewers convinced her then-employer Thames Television to yank her off the air!
Hired in 1968, Blake-Hannah worked 9 months at the now defunct network, one of 3 reporters on “The Today Show” evening newscast hosted by Eamonn Andrews.
Blake-Hannah recalls Thames TV directors telling her in a meeting,
“We’re not going to renew your contract because every day, people call in and say ‘get that N-word off our screens!’ And they used to use that word as freely as that back in those days. Get her OFF our screens. We don’t want to see THAT on our screens.”
In conversation with the Jamaica Cultural Alliance of Los Angeles, Blake-Hannah linked the racism behind her firing decades ago with the modern treatment of Meghan Markle, the biracial American actor who married into the Royal family four years ago.
Barbara Blake-Hannah says she was deeply disappointed Thames TV didn’t stand up to racists in her day. And she’s certain similar attitudes hounded the Duke of Sussex, his biracial wife and their mixed race son.
“This whole issue with Meghan Markle and her husband Prince Harry has pointed out how endemic racism is in Britain. It’s still a disgrace! Still a disgrace. It makes me ashamed that my home country Jamaica is still ruled by the Crown of England! We’re still a British colony, so to speak.”
During her years in the UK, Blake-Hannah held several journalism jobs including a stint at The Sunday Times, where she interviewed entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., comedian Jack Benny, author Jacqueline Susann (“Valley of the Dolls”) and actor Michael Caine.
Blake-Hannah arrived in the UK with extensive journalism experience after working for SPOTLIGHT and NEWDAY, magazines founded in Jamaica by her father, renowned publisher Evon Blake.
After an international career as a filmmaker, writer and consultant, Barbara Blake-Hannah “semi-retired” in Kingston. This summer, she’ll turn 80 years old.
Barbara Blake-Hannah spoke to the Jamaica Cultural Alliance shortly before the airing of Oprah Winfrey’s bombshell interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Today she praises Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for leaving the UK to chart their own path in Southern California.
“She endured SO much racism in the media. I can’t blame her. I can well understand why she said ‘No More!’ What was wonderful was, her husband said ‘I agree!’ I will step aside with you.”
“In fact, it looked like he’d been wanting to step aside from that pomp and ceremony for a very long time.”
Barbara Blake-Hannah spoke via videochat from Jamaica, where she returned after anti-Black viewers convinced her then-employer Thames Television to yank her off the air!
Hired in 1968, Blake-Hannah worked 9 months at the now defunct network, one of 3 reporters on “The Today Show” evening newscast hosted by Eamonn Andrews.
Blake-Hannah recalls Thames TV directors telling her in a meeting,
“We’re not going to renew your contract because every day, people call in and say ‘get that N-word off our screens!’ And they used to use that word as freely as that back in those days. Get her OFF our screens. We don’t want to see THAT on our screens.”
In conversation with the Jamaica Cultural Alliance of Los Angeles, Blake-Hannah linked the racism behind her firing decades ago with the modern treatment of Meghan Markle, the biracial American actor who married into the Royal family four years ago.
Barbara Blake-Hannah says she was deeply disappointed Thames TV didn’t stand up to racists in her day. And she’s certain similar attitudes hounded the Duke of Sussex, his biracial wife and their mixed race son.
“This whole issue with Meghan Markle and her husband Prince Harry has pointed out how endemic racism is in Britain. It’s still a disgrace! Still a disgrace. It makes me ashamed that my home country Jamaica is still ruled by the Crown of England! We’re still a British colony, so to speak.”
During her years in the UK, Blake-Hannah held several journalism jobs including a stint at The Sunday Times, where she interviewed entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., comedian Jack Benny, author Jacqueline Susann (“Valley of the Dolls”) and actor Michael Caine.
Blake-Hannah arrived in the UK with extensive journalism experience after working for SPOTLIGHT and NEWDAY, magazines founded in Jamaica by her father, renowned publisher Evon Blake.
After an international career as a filmmaker, writer and consultant, Barbara Blake-Hannah “semi-retired” in Kingston. This summer, she’ll turn 80 years old.
Barbara Blake-Hannah spoke to the Jamaica Cultural Alliance shortly before the airing of Oprah Winfrey’s bombshell interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Today she praises Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for leaving the UK to chart their own path in Southern California.
“She endured SO much racism in the media. I can’t blame her. I can well understand why she said ‘No More!’ What was wonderful was, her husband said ‘I agree!’ I will step aside with you.”
“In fact, it looked like he’d been wanting to step aside from that pomp and ceremony for a very long time.”
