Paul Stephenson, the civil rights campaigner known for his role in the Bristol bus boycott, has died aged 87.
Stephenson, who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and dementia, was described as “a true pioneer in the civil rights movement” in a statement issued by his family after his death on Saturday night.
His relatives said he was known for “tirelessly working to dismantle the barriers of discrimination”.
Stephenson played a pivotal role in rallying thousands of people for a 60-day boycott in Bristol in 1963 over the Bristol Omnibus Company’s refusal to hire Black or Asian drivers, contributing to the creation of the first Race Relations Act in parliament two years later.
His children, Fumi and Paul Jr, said: “Despite the demands of his work, Dad’s love and support for our family never wavered. He encouraged our independence and growth, always striving to ensure that we could forge our paths.
“Dad’s unwavering commitment to improving the lives and experiences of people in our community was truly infectious. His tireless work and activism touched the lives of so many, both locally and on a broader national and global scale.
“Ultimately, our father’s legacy extends far beyond the awards and accolades he received. It is embodied in the lives he touched, the barriers he broke down, and the generations he inspired to fight for a more just and equitable world.”
He was made an OBE for his services to equal opportunities in 2009 and was awarded honorary doctorates at three UK universities.
The first Black person to be granted the Freedom of the City of Bristol, Stephenson also received a Pride of Britain award for lifetime achievement from Sir Lenny Henry in 2017.
Stephenson was born in Rochford, Essex, in 1937. At three years old he was evacuated to a care home in Great Dunmow in the Essex countryside with seven white children where he stayed for seven years.
In 1953 he joined the RAF as a cadet, serving until 1960. He went to college to study youth work before moving to Bristol in 1962 to be a youth and community development worker and a supply teacher.
In 2012 he released his autobiography, Memoirs of a Black Englishman.
