Black and British by David Olusoga Summary

Black and British chronicles the 1,800-year relationship between Britain and people of African and Caribbean heritage, from Roman Britain to modern movements like Black Lives Matter. David Olusoga dismantles the myth of Black British history as peripheral, revealing how slavery, industrialization, and colonialism intertwined Black and white destinies. The updated edition addresses the Windrush scandal and systemic racism debates.

This book is essential for history enthusiasts, educators, and anyone seeking a comprehensive understanding of Britain’s multicultural roots. It appeals to readers interested in colonialism, slavery, and the erased contributions of Black Britons in shaping the nation’s cultural, economic, and military history.

Yes—it’s a critically acclaimed, award-winning work (Hessell-Tiltman Prize, Longman History Today Trustees’ Award) that reshapes national narratives. Olusoga’s rigorous research and engaging prose make it a vital resource for understanding race, identity, and Britain’s global legacy.

The revised edition links historical racism to modern injustices, analyzing the Windrush scandal’s roots in post-war immigration policies and the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. Olusoga frames these events as part of a centuries-old struggle for equality.

Spanning Roman Britain to the 21st century, the book explores medieval Blackamoors, Elizabethan England, the transatlantic slave trade, World Wars, and post-colonial migration. It highlights Black Britons’ roles in events like the Battle of Trafalgar and Britain’s industrial boom.

Olusoga rejects the notion of Black history as separate, showing its integration into Britain’s economic and cultural fabric. He exposes overlooked scandals, such as failed colonial projects like Granville Town, and critiques “white savior” myths.

The book received the 2017 PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize, Longman History Today Trustees’ Award, and was shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize. It was also a Waterstones History Book of the Year.

Olusoga details how slavery funded Britain’s Industrial Revolution, with ports like Liverpool thriving on human trafficking. He emphasizes enslaved Africans’ resistance and the moral contradictions of abolitionists like Granville Sharp.

It combines academic depth with accessibility, using genealogical records, memoirs, and archival sources to center Black voices. The book’s focus on Britain’s racial entanglements offers a fresh perspective on national identity.

Olusoga reconstructs hidden histories through wills, ship logs, and personal accounts—such as Black soldiers in WWI and 18th-century Black writers. This evidence challenges the erasure of Black contributions to British society.

Praised as “compulsory reading” by The Guardian, the book is lauded for its clarity, passion, and unflinching examination of racism. Critics highlight its timely relevance in debates about legacy and reparations.

Olusoga’s childhood encounters with racism in 1970s Britain inform his urgency to confront systemic prejudice. His dual Nigerian-British heritage enriches the narrative with personal and historical resonance.