It is the British radio host Richie Brave, born Booker, who has raised the question of the long-standing Booker Prize’s name.
Richie Brave’s legal last name is Booker, and the reason he believes the Booker Prize has links to slavery is because his ancestors were slaves to the founders of the company which was originally a trading and shipping activities. It was the brothers George and Josias Booker who started the company in 1834 and initially sponsored the award.
“I hope Booker will start asking himself some questions about the name. As an organisation, you have the choice to change your name to something else,†he tells The Guardian.
He also narrates that he himself had not wanted to keep a name that is associated with slavery.
This is not the first time the price’s links to slavery have been noticed. For example, the British author John Berger, after winning the Booker Prize in 1972, did a symbolic act and donated half of the winnings to the British Black Panther movement.
The Booker and International Booker prizes have long been sponsored by Booker McConnell, but are now funded by the charitable foundation Crankstart.
Read more if books
