The co-founder of Notting Hill Carnival, Sam King MBE, has died at 90-years-old.
King first came to the UK from his homeland Jamaica in 1948 after volunteering for the Royal Air Force. He was the first black mayor of Southwark in 1983 and also helped to launch the first back newspaper in Britain, the West Indian Gazette. King was one of the founders of what is now Europe’s largest street festival, Notting Hill Carnival, in 1964.
In 1998, King was awarded the MBE for his work in the community.
BBC News confirmed his death with reports from King's granddaughter, who told media he died due to ill health, surrounded by his family.
The carnival was originally founded to celebrate Caribbean culture and encourage cultural unity and social solidarity. It draws in about one million people to the west London borough across the August bank holiday weekend every year.
Jeremy Corbyn led tributes to King, with many calling him a “pioneer” of British politics. He said: “He was man who arrived on the Windrush and started working like many Jamaicans did in the area and then decided something had to be done good for the community in terms of carnival.What a legend, what a loss.
“He educated Londoners with Caribbean food, Caribbean culture, Caribbean music. London is a better place, Britain is a better place thanks to him and his family.”
