Rest in Peace Eric Huntley
We are deeply heartbroken to hear of the passing of Guyanese-born publisher, educator and community organiser, Eric Huntley, who has sadly passed away at age 96.
A pioneer of Black British cultural and political life, Eric co-founded Bogle-L’Ouverture Publications, one of the most important Black publishing houses in Britain, alongside his wife Jessica Huntley in 1968. Bogle-L’Ouverture Publications was named after two Caribbean heroes and resistance fighters, Paul Bogle of Jamaica and Toussaint L’Ouverture of Haiti, and was instrumental in paving the way for Black writers, historians, educators and campaigners who were too often excluded from mainstream publishing.
The Huntley’s championed numerous prominent Black writers and scholars, including Walter Rodney, Andrew Salkey, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Lemn Sissay and Valerie Bloom, and later established the Walter Rodney Bookshop in Ealing to serve as a community space for learning, connecting and spotlighting Black experiences. They also played a pivotal role in civil rights campaigns such as the Black Parents Movement, and contributed to the International Book Fair of Radical Black and Third World Books - widely considered the pinnacle of Black publishing at the time.
Eric leaves behind a legacy of archiving Black British life and culture, having understood that publishing was pivotal in preserving history and culture and giving voice to people and their stories who might otherwise be forgotten. His contributions to Black publishing, education and community will be everlasting.
Rest in peace Eric, you will be deeply missed.
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