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Dr Paul Stephenson, a civil rights campaigner who led the Bristol Bus Boycott in 1963, has passed away at the age of 87. Stephenson organised the boycott which overturned a ban on people from ethnic minorities working on buses in the city and was instrumental in paving the way for the first Race Relations Act in 1965. He died on Saturday evening, following a courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease and dementia, according to a statement by his family. They described him as “a passionate advocate for equality, tirelessly working to dismantle the barriers of discrimination”. Stephenson’s journey began as the first black social worker employed by the city of Bristol.
In this role, he spearheaded the historic bus boycott, rallying thousands of Bristolians to stand together against the Bristol Omnibus Company’s refusal to hire Black and Asian drivers. This victory paved the way for the nation’s first Race Relations Act. Stephenson was arrested at the Bay horse pub in Bristol, which made national news. It happened after he refused to leave when the bartender would not serve him. Dr Stephenson won a court case against the pub and Daily Express for defamation.
Over the years, Dr Stephenson’s unwavering commitment to equality and social justice earned him numerous accolades, including honorary degrees and doctorates and the Freedom of the City of Bristol. He collaborated with high profile politicians in the UK and abroad and spoke at engagements at global United Nations conferences for policy development in race relations. Mr Marvin Rees, former mayor of Bristol, described Stephenson’s death as “incredibly sad.” Rees said, “Paul lived an incredible life. Not just for his friends and his family, but made a contribution to Bristol, the country and the world,”.
Stephenson, the son of an African father and white British mother, arrived in Bristol in 1962. He was made an OBE in 2009 for his services to equal opportunities and to community relations. Most famously, Stephenson will be known for the leadership of the Bristol Bus Boycott. His impact was not just around the buses; it was about what it led to in terms of creating a legal framework to protect black and brown people, and other people, from being discriminated against in everyday life, said Mr Rees. Dr Stephenson is survived by his daughter, Fumi, and his son, Paul Jr
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