[6] The ethos of the Book Fair was "to mark the new and expanding phase in the growth of radical ideas and concepts, and their expression in literature, politics, music, art and social life.
Its success demonstrated "the potential for an event on this scale taking place in different parts of London and the UK on a regular basis", and the suggestion of an annual book fair was later developed and eventually implemented.
The first Book Fair week in 1982 was attended by some 6,000 people,[28] and included on 30 March 1982 an "Evening of International Poetry" with performances (recorded for a subsequent album) by poets including John Agard, James Berry, Valerie Bloom, Edward Kamau Brathwaite, Accabre Huntley, Mahmood Jamal, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Christopher Laird, E. A. Markham, Jack Mapanje, Odia Ofeimun, Oku Onuora, Okot p'Bitek, Cecil Rajendra, Pedro Perez Sarduy and Mikey Smith.
[27] As noted by African-American feminist scholar Barbara Smith, the second book fair attracted some 150 publishers, from Africa, the Caribbean, North and Central America, Asia and Europe, including the UK.
[5] The many notable participants over the years included John Agard, Ama Ata Aidoo, Tariq Ali, May Ayim, Imruh Bakari, Biyi Bandele, Amiri Baraka, James Berry, Valerie Bloom, Jean Binta Breeze, Yvonne Brewster, Dennis Brutus, Robert Chrisman, Merle Collins, Carolyn Cooper, Fred D'Aguiar, Melvin Edwards, Nuruddin Farah, Edouard Glissant, Lorna Goodison, Roy A. K. Heath, Tim Hector, bell hooks, Gus John, Linton Kwesi Johnson, June Jordan, Jackie Kay, Shake Keane, James Kelman, Talib Kibwe, Errol Lloyd, Earl Lovelace, Jack Mapanje, E. A. Markham, Paule Marshall, Pauline Melville, Louise Meriwether, Adrian Mitchell, Nancy Morejon, Lionel Ngakane, Pitika Ntuli, Odia Ofeimun, Olu Oguibe, Ben Okri, Kole Omotoso, Oku Onuora, Horace Ové, Alex Pascall, Okot p'Bitek, Caryl Phillips, John Pilger, Cecil Rajendra, Sonia Sanchez, Lawrence Scott, Mongane Wally Serote, Janice Shinebourne, Lemn Sissay, Mikey Smith, Pearl Springer, Wangui wa Goro, and Randy Weston.