Stephen Bourne (born 31 October 1957) is a British writer, film and social historian specialising in Black heritage and gay culture.
Career
He was a research officer at the British Film Institute on a project that documented the history of Black people in British television.[1] He wrote Brief Encounters: Lesbians and Gays in British Cinema 1930–71 published in 1996. His book Black in the British Frame: Black People in British Film and Television 1896-1996 was published in 1998. His Black in the British Frame: The Black Experience in British Film and Television followed on it in 2001. He also wrote books on American actors Elisabeth Welch, Ethel Waters, Butterfly McQueen, and Nina Mae McKinney. He co-authored a pair of books with Esther Bruce about her life as a seamstress in London.
In 2014, Bourne's book Black Poppies: Britain's Black Community and the Great War[2] was published by The History Press.[3] Reviewing it in The Independent, Bernardine Evaristo said: "Until historians and cultural map-makers stop ignoring the historical presence of people of colour, books such as this one provide a powerful, revelatory counterbalance to the whitewashing of British history."[4]
Following the publication of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities in March 2021, Bourne revealed he was listed as a contributor to the report without his knowledge, stating that he felt manipulated.[5][6][7]
His book Deep Are the Roots: Trailblazers Who Changed Black British Theatre was published in 2021 and his book Amanda Ira Aldridge and Avril Coleridge-Taylor: Getting the Tempo Right (about British composers Amanda Ira Aldridge and Avril Coleridge-Taylor) in 2024.
Awards
In 2002 Bourne received the Metropolitan Police Volunteer Award for his work as independent adviser on critical incidents. In 2013 Bourne was nominated for a Southwark Heritage Blue Plaque for his work as a community historian and Southwark Police independent adviser.[8] He came second with 1,025 votes.[citation needed]
Bourne's BBC Radio 4 appearances have included Miss Lou at RADA (2005) with Yvonne Brewster, Raising the Bar (2015) with Sir Lenny Henry, From Shame to Pride (2017), The Film Programme (2018), Last Word (2019 and 2022), The Secret History of a School (2019), Great Lives (Ira Aldridge) (2022) and Front Row (2019 and 2024). He has also appeared in Four Thought (2020) and Free Thinking (2021) for BBC Radio 3; The Raw Pearl Bailey (2018) for BBC Radio 2; and Robert Elms Show (2019 and 2023) for BBC Radio London. His television appearances include Black Divas (Channel 4, 1996); American Masters – Paul Robeson: Here I Stand (1999); The One Show (BBC1, 2013 and in 2020 a Black History Month special; The Culture Show: Swingin' into the Blitz (BBC2, 2016),Home Front Heroes (More4, 2016).[citation needed] and TV's Greatest: Black on the Box (Channel 5, 2024).
"Denying Her Place: Hattie McDaniel's Surprising Acts", in P. Cook and P. Dodd (eds), Women and Film: A Sight and Sound Reader, Scarlet Press, 1993, ISBN1-85727-081-9
"Secrets and Lies: Black Histories and British Historical Films", in C. Monk and A. Sargeant (eds), British Historical Cinema, Routledge, 2002, ISBN0-415-23810-2
"Black representation" and "Gay and lesbian representation", in B. McFarlane (ed.), The Encyclopedia of British Film, Methuen, 2003, ISBN0-413-77526-7
"Behind the Masks: Anthony Asquith and Brian Desmond Hurst", in R. Griffiths (ed.), British Queer Cinema, Routledge, 2006, ISBN0-415-30779-1
"Colour Balance: Black British Television Stars", in J. Bell (ed.), Black Star: A BFI Compendium, BFI, 2016, ISBN978-1844579716
"Snakehips Swing" and "Sophisticated Ladies", in P. Bradshaw (ed.), Beyond the Bassline: 500 Years of Black British Music, British Library, 2024, ISBN978-0712354899