Born in Yorkshire in 1947, photographer Syd Shelton documented resistance to racism in Britain during the 1970s and 1980s. He was the official photographer for Rock Against Racism, a collective of political activists and musicians that organised concerts with an anti-racist message across the country.

Before The Northern Carnival Against Racism 30,000 people marched to the concert site to show their opposition to racial prejudice. The concert featured The Specials, a multicultural ska revival band known for their ‘2 tone’ sound, which combined reggae, ska and punk rock. Fans of The Specials often adopted a mod revival style, combining clothing items such as Harrington jackets, pork pie hats, Ben Sherman shirts and braces. These styles referenced the skinhead, rude boy and mod subcultures, which had emerged in Britain during the 1950s and 1960s. The combination of these styles challenged stereotypes associated with these subcultures, which were often perceived as racially divided.

The V&A acquired three of Shelton’s photographs as part of the Staying Power project. This photograph has particular Staying Power is a five year partnership between the V&A and Black Cultural Archives. The project aims to explore black British experience from the 1950s to the 1990s through photographs acquired by the V&A and oral histories conducted by Black Cultural Archives. Photographs by Gavin Watson depicting black participation in the skinhead movement were also acquired as part of the project.