BBC Launching Black Power & Subnormal Docs

The BBC is set to premiere the documentaries Black Power (working title) and Subnormal on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, respectively.

Directed by BAFTA-nominated George Amponsah (Hard Stop), Black Power offers an account of the titular movement that came into being in the late 1960s and fought back against police brutality and racism. Featuring archive footage of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael, Altheia Jones-LeCointe, Darcus Howe and Roy Sawh, it explores the story of the young Black people of the era who challenged the British establishment and helped to shape a new political and cultural landscape in the U.K.

Subnormal, directed by Lyttanya Shannon and originated from an idea by Steve McQueen, examines how Black children in the 1960s and 1970s were disproportionately sent to schools for the so-called ‘educationally subnormal’.

McQueen is executive producer on both films, alongside James Rogan, Tracey Scoffield and Soleta Rogan. BBC Studios will distribute the documentaries internationally.

McQueen said: “Looking at the past is an indication of what we have achieved today. These two documentaries show us how far we still have to travel for liberty and justice.”

Charlotte Moore, BBC chief content officer said: “These are important stories from our recent history that still resonate today. Steve McQueen has assembled a talented team of creatives to make these two documentaries that shine a light on the experiences of young Black people from the 1960s and 1970s, sharing rare archive and enabling us to hear directly from key individuals, many speaking for the first time.”