Walking tours exploring the history of black people living and working in the city are to be launched.

The new weekend tours will start in June, following one-off walks in October about the heritage of black students.

Tour organisers decided to begin the walks after receiving requests for more information about the history of black migration to the city, rather than simply scholars at Oxford University.

Founder Pamela Roberts, of Artistry Events, said: "What we found is such a lot of interest in the presence of black people in the city itself.

"One woman said to me that she never knew that black people lived in Oxford. I was amazed.

"We listened to what people wanted and have changed our tour to include more about the town. From June, we'll be looking back to black people arriving in Oxford after the wars."

The walks will include stories about black servicemen stationed in the city, delegations from bus companies to recruit drivers in Jamaica, and immigrants arriving to find work at the car factory.

The tours are being launched by Artistry Events, a non-profits arts group, and Ruskin College, after a £45,900 Lottery grant helped them fund the first walks during the Black Media Festival in October.

Organisers want to train permanent tour guides to walk groups of up to 19 visitors around the centre of Oxford. Ms Roberts said: "We are looking for people from a cross-section of society with a strong interest in history, especially black history.

"We want our guides to be enthusiastic, to draw people in and engage with them."

Weekend residential training courses start at the end of March at Ruskin College.

Ruskin College principal and patron of Black Oxford Prof Audrey Mullender said: "I am delighted that Ruskin College is part of this exciting intiative. "

There are 10 places available on the course, and guides will receive a fee for each tour. It is hoped that the tours will eventually become daily. To apply, call 01494 535684 or send an email to info@artistry-events.co.uk before Wednesday.

History file

The Cowley Road area has a long-standing Afro-Caribbean community.

During the 1950s and 1960s, many black recruits arrived to work as bus drivers during a labour shortage

Oxford's only Caribbean restaurant, Hi-Lo Jamaican Eating House, opened in 1981

Famous black students include former Jamaican prime minister Norman Manley, co-founder of the African National Congress Pixley Seme, former president of Ghana Edward Akufo-Addo and jazz saxophonist Soweto Kinch.

Malcolm X spoke at the Oxford Union in 1964 about Black Power.