Huddersfield Literature Festival presents an evening with Marcia Hutchinson, author of The Mercy Step. Plus a chance to view the Huddersfield Windrush On Tour Tapestry.
Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, The Mercy Step is a sharp-witted and tender portrait of a young girl’s quiet rebellion, and her refusal to be broken. Born into a chaotic household in Bradford in 1962, a precocious Mercy finds solace in books and her imagination. But as the grip of family, faith and fear threatens to close in, Mercy learns she must act if she wants a different future.
“This vivid story of a Caribbean childhood in 1960s Bradford does not stint on accounts of poverty and systemic abuse, yet is pungent with wit and colour.” The Guardian
Marcia will be interviewed by Shazia Azhar MBE.
About the author
Marcia Hutchinson was born in the UK to Windrush generation Jamaican parents. After gaining an MA in Law from Oxford University, she worked as a lawyer before founding the educational publishing company Primary Colours. In 2011, she was awarded an MBE for services to Cultural Diversity. She has since worked as a community activist and was elected as a Labour Councillor in 2012. She is now a full-time writer and an active member of the Black Writers’ Guild.
About the Tapestry
Prior to the event, to mark Black History Month, there will also be the opportunity to view the Huddersfield Windrush On Tour Tapestry. Commissioned by Huddersfield Seventh-day Adventist Church and delivered in partnership with Kirklees Local TV (KLTV), the tapestry brings together decades of African Caribbean history through a unique combination of visual storytelling, photography, oral histories and digital archives. This landmark heritage project celebrates the legacy, resilience and contributions of the Windrush Generation across Kirklees and beyond, marking a major milestone in preserving and celebrating the legacy of the Windrush Generation.
Essential information
Thursday 22 October
5.30pm-6.30pm Windrush Tapestry viewing
6.30pm-7.30pm Marcia Hutchinson author talk followed by a book signing
FREE
Huddersfield Library