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A review by questingnotcoasting
Black and British: A Forgotten History by David Olusoga
challenging
informative
medium-paced
4.0
This was fantastic. It's a comprehensive look at Black history in the UK, which refutes the racist notion that being British and being Black are mutually exclusive, as well as the idea that the presence of Black people in the UK began with the Empire Windrush - in fact it dates back to the Roman Empire.
That makes for a long, detailed book which I've been reading gradually over the last few months because there's so much to take in. The history itself is both horrific and fascinating, but it's also important to note the subtitle. This is history which has often been deliberately erased, evident in the way Britain has downplayed its role in the slave trade and colonialism and focused on its role in abolition.
After reading Stamped From The Beginning earlier in the year and now this I feel like I've got a much better grasp on Black history in both the UK and the USA and understand how events in the two countries are connected.
That makes for a long, detailed book which I've been reading gradually over the last few months because there's so much to take in. The history itself is both horrific and fascinating, but it's also important to note the subtitle. This is history which has often been deliberately erased, evident in the way Britain has downplayed its role in the slave trade and colonialism and focused on its role in abolition.
After reading Stamped From The Beginning earlier in the year and now this I feel like I've got a much better grasp on Black history in both the UK and the USA and understand how events in the two countries are connected.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Slavery
Moderate: Hate crime, Violence, Xenophobia, and Police brutality