36 YEARS OF LABELLED A BLACK VILLAIN (The Original 1987)

Its been 36 years since i wrote this book. I can hardly believe it, time has passed so quickly. It was reviewed in the Sunday Observer to much acclaim. And i remember feeling so proud, that being political and vociferous around being black and marching against Apartheid. Fighting Colonialism police brutality. And a host of other black issues since 1970. And now i think back to others like me from the early days who have paved the way for black people to now have a voice.. Many of those people were imprisoned and some died in pursuit of giving this generation a voice. It seems that now, everyone is an expert on black issues and culture. There're all coming out of the woodwork now getting government money. To post pictures in their cosy environments celebrating ONE month of being black. But those who came before real militant's who gave up much of their lives. Should be remembered. Those who physically faced the the struggle and got Broken heads and prison. And a few white people too were rebellious i may add. Those of you who now think your so great. Just remember those who came before you and why your able to do what you do.

PASSAGES from LABELLED A BLACK VILLAIN ( 37 YEARS AGO )

"I wrote this book because i felt certain things needed to be said, and because those black people in a position to be a real voice for the black community have failed to speak out on our behalf. The black community still cry out for someone to put forward their real grievance's about living in a white society; yet the few black people in a position of power have put across only a diluted version of our anger and frustrations, leaving the white community to go about their daily business without having to confront their conscience head on. We want society to be in no doubt as to how we as black people-and indeed all third world peoples-feel about the destruction wrought on our lands by the white colonialists of the past and by the economic and political policies of today; and how we feel about the total disrespect shown by white societies for people and cultures other than their own. These things have to be brought out into the open without pulling any punches so black and white can see were we all stand. We challenge society to a confrontation with its own conscience, to face up to the inequality that divides the world" (Trevor Hercules 1987)

"I don't believe in your system or your judgement. I don't recognise you or your system, we should be trying you for your sins, you destroy everything you touch with your hands of death. Oh i hate you. I am a political prisoner of war, i justify myself because you stole are wealth, gold our diamonds, our bodies, in fact you stole our birth rights-- I hate you and will never give up the struggle, never" (Trevor Hercules 1987)

" What i hated most was the idea of white supremacy, the way the world was governed by a minority of white people who controlled the world with their economic and political power. I realised that it was a racial struggle for us black people to emerge out of this shadow of white supremacy and to be able to live as we chose; without this society continuing to label us blacks and a problem. I also realised it was also a class struggle, too, and the months i had been in prison on remand had made this even clearer to me. I didn't hate white people individually, i hated how thy allowed this powerful minority to oppress and manipulate them, and turn man against man, brother against brother, just on account of the colour of a mans skin." (Trevor Hercules 1987)

"Nothing could compare with the joy of finding writers like James Baldwin with their black characters sharing their experiences with us, enduring the same things we went through. Then we had people like Eldridge Cleaver , Angela Davis, Rap Brown, Malcolm X; and then Bobby Seale with "seize the time" the most influential book i have ever read. These people began to lay the foundation of my awareness of who i was my identity as a black man. They talked of Africa, they talked of the black mans history and the social and political implications of being black in capitalists societies; they helped me become articulate in explaining the problems facing black people" (Trevor Hercules 1987)

I said to one of my white friends. "Imagine waking up one day and your surrounded by all these black people who are in control, all the programmes are black, you don't have a voice in the media or government and many of the people don't like you on account of the colour of your skin and called you vile names. And then to top it all, you learn that they had enslaved and did the most atrocious things imaginable to your families, treated them worse than animals. You then look across the sea to Old Blighty which has been decimated by these same people" " I asked my friend how he would feel. He looked t me and said. That would be my worse nightmare" "That's exactly how i and my friends felt at times as if we were in our worst nightmare." (Trevor Hercules 1987)

"We as men have a duty to look after and protect our woman" "We don't want people robbing helpless women and girls knowing full well they don't go to the police. Well your time is up we don't want you in our community" " We as men have a duty to look after and protect our women." "I love Reggae music because it tells it like it is and those singers don't get enough credit for making our youth conscious and making them aware of who they are. Reggae singers we love you" "If you don't know we all know what's coming next.. Gang warfare and killings" As with all under-privileged people, their lack of opportunities to Chanell our frustration can lead us to take it out on each other" (Trevor Hercules 1987)

All these passages come from the original labelled a black villain 36 years ago. Written by TREVOR HERCULES.

"Hopefully those of us of the old guard will get our props and respect. Especially from those black people who just jumped on the bandwagon which has become a money spinner. It gladdens me that some white people are quick to hail those of us with a real true fight against oppression. While many black people seem to be haters., I have seen a rise of black on black jealousy hating those who do well. But those of us at the forefront will get our shine and blow our own trumpets."

To all our African brothers sisters and so called leaders we have been rebelling since before many of you were born. We are now weary soldiers, But we soldier on.? Trevor Hercules