Freedom City Comics (2017)

Freedom City Comics anthology presents snapshots of the history of civil rights and politics on Tyneside. Each chapter focuses on a different era of the history of people and events in Newcastle and the North East. The 7 chapters are linked by the themes of freedom highlighted by Dr Martin Luther King Jr in his 1967 Newcastle speech:

“There are three urgent and indeed great problems that we face not only in the United States of America but all over the world today. That is the problem of racism, the problem of poverty and the problem of war…” Dr Martin Luther King Jr., Speech on Receipt of Honorary Doctorate in Civil Law, November 13, 1967, University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Made as part of Freedom City 2017, our 16-page comic is a collaboration between comics artist-writers and academic researchers:

• Paul Peart-Smith, working with alumnus Paul Barry and with Brian Ward
• Terry Wiley, working with researcher Rachel Hammersley
• Patrice Aggs, working with researcher Brycchan Carey
• Mack Chater and Ian Mayor, working with researcher Joan Allen
• Sha Nazir, working with researcher Matt Perry
• Ragavee Balendran, working with researcher Matt Perry
• ‘Brick’, working with project lead Matthew Grenby
• Managing editor is Britt Coxon; Editor in chief is Lydia Wysocki

The full digital comic is available FREE to read online http://research.ncl.ac.uk/fccomics/readthecomic/ . Look out for each standalone digital chapter, too.

The full printed comic is available to pick up FREE at libraries, cultural venues, and other events around Tyneside as part of Freedom City 2017. More info and venues list: http://research.ncl.ac.uk/fccomics/venues/

We’re also working on a learning framework to support schools and other groups to use this comic.

Press release: http://ncl.ac.uk/press/news/2017/09/freedomcitycomics/