James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw
Ukawsaw Gronniosaw, also known as James Albert, is said to be the first published black author in Britain. His autobiography, A Narrative of the Most Remarkable Particulars in the Life of James …
Black in Europe
The 1963 Bristol Bus Boycott
The Bristol Bus Boycott is a landmark event in Black British history. It helped to raise awareness of racial discrimination in Britain and influenced the passing of the Race Relations Act 1965, which …
Roy Hackett: A life of activism from Jamaica to Bristol
Roy Hackett, a remarkable figure in the civil rights movement, not only left an indelible mark on the city of Bristol, but he also played a crucial role in shaping its history. Born in Jamaica and …
The Windrush passenger’s underground accommodations
When Caribbean migrants disembarked from the SS Empire Windrush on 22 June 1948, many of them had nowhere to live. Due to the shortage of housing in London following World War Two, temporary housing …
The Black Equity Organisation: A new civil rights group launches in the UK
An organisation dedicated to advancing justice and equity for Black people has been launched in the UK.
Some of Britain’s most influential Black figures from business, law, the arts, and …
I Spy: The Josephine Baker Story
Actor Janelle Monaé (Hidden Figures) is set to star as the iconic entertainer Josephine Baker in a new TV series titled De La Resistance.
So who was Josephine Baker?
Exotic cabaret dancer, …
The Zong Massacre
In 1781 over 100 enslaved Africans were thrown overboard the Zong slave ship to allow the slave owners to collect insurance money on their human commodities. This is one of the most egregious acts of …
The Commonwealth Immigration Act 1962
On 1 July 1962, the Commonwealth Immigrants Act came into effect, ending the automatic right of people of the British Commonwealth and Colonies to settle in the United Kingdom.
The Act applied …
The life of Dido Elizabeth Belle: A story of triumph and advocacy
Dido Elizabeth Belle was a unique figure in 18th-century England, a time entrenched in the transatlantic slave trade. Born in 1761 to an enslaved woman named Maria Belle and a British naval officer, …
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912)
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was a prominent British-Sierra Leonean composer and conductor born on 15 August 1875 and passed away on 1 September 1912. He is often remembered for his choral work …
Constance Mark – Caribbean Women in WW2 Britain
We often think of the British Armed Forces as exclusively male, but it may surprise you to know that many Caribbean women served in World War II.
Historically, most Armed Forces were almost …
Lilian Bader – One of the first black women to join the British Armed Forces
Lilian Bader was born in 1918 in Liverpool’s Toxteth Park neighbourhood to Marcus Bailey, a merchant seaman from Barbados who fought for the British in the First World War, and Lilian, a British …