Black and British Summary

What we need is not to study Black History, but to appreciate that Black History is British History.

1. Britain’s Slave Trade is Often Ignored

Despite Britain being central to the transatlantic slave trade, the nation’s role is frequently downplayed in its historical narrative. During the peak of the trade from the 17th to the 19th centuries, millions of Africans were transported on British ships, yet this history has not been given the attention it warrants. Sites like Bunce Island, used as a hub for this trade, lay forgotten for centuries, further reflecting a tendency to gloss over this dark past.

This erasure leads to a distorted understanding of history. The British plantations in the West Indies, for example, are geographically remote from the British Isles, allowing the exploitation to feel removed from the nation itself. The narrative often shifts focus to American slavery while neglecting Britain’s direct hand in the atrocities.

Even so, Black people are not just seen as victims in this history but as individuals with essential roles in Britain. Figures like the Black sailors who served with Admiral Lord Nelson at the Battle of Cape Trafalgar highlight this contribution. Thus, Black individuals were deeply present and active throughout British historical events, whether as subjects of oppression or figures of influence.

Examples

• Half of Africans enslaved in the 18th century were transported on British ships.
• Bunce Island in Sierra Leone was rediscovered as a significant British slave fortress only in the 1970s.
• Black sailors served alongside Admiral Nelson in his victory at Trafalgar in 1805.

2. Black Presence in Britain Dates Back to Roman Times

Black individuals have lived in Britain for millennia, long before World War II or the Atlantic slave trade. As early as the third century CE under Roman rule, Africans known as Aurelian Moors were stationed as part of military garrisons in what is modern-day Cumbria, showcasing early migration and integration.

Archaeological discoveries have also shed light on high-ranking individuals, such as the “Ivory Bangle Lady” of North African origin. Her burial with luxury goods indicated a comfortable social standing in Roman Britain. Similarly, the remains of "Beachy Head Woman" suggest a local Afro-Roman upbringing and a privileged status.

These findings challenge common assumptions about early Britain as a homogenous white society. They reveal a complex and diverse population that included African citizens living in various roles across the Roman Empire’s British provinces.

Examples

• Third-century CE African Roman soldiers served in British garrisons like Aballava in Cumbria.
• The Afro-Roman “Ivory Bangle Lady” was buried with luxury goods in York.
• Sub-Saharan remains of the “Beachy Head Woman” showed she lived and thrived in south England.

3. Elizabethan Playwrights and Contradictory Views of Blackness

The late Tudor and Elizabethan periods brought both curiosity and ambivalence about Black individuals in Britain. While Black residents were mostly laborers, figures like John Blanke, a Black trumpeter for the Tudor court, achieved rare heights of status.

During this era, playwrights like William Shakespeare captured these societal tensions. In Othello, Shakespeare portrayed a Black man as dignified yet tragic, reflecting the contradictory attitudes of his age. On one level, the play explores fears of racial difference and intermarriage. On another level, Othello is a courageous, respected leader undermined by a manipulative subordinate.

This period demonstrates both the inclusion and marginalization of Black individuals. Blackness was celebrated and denigrated, leaving a legacy of complex racial narratives that persisted even as the Atlantic slave trade began to take hold.

Examples

• John Blanke served as a court trumpeter for Henry VII and Henry VIII.
• Shakespeare’s Othello highlighted societal anxieties around race and interracial relationships.
• Elizabethan attitudes oscillated between fascination with and fear of African migration.

4. The Slave Code Created Racial Divides

The rise of slavery in the 17th century radically shifted societal structures, establishing divisions between white and Black people. Previously based on class, these changes introduced race as a dominant marker of identity. Colonial laws, such as the Barbados Slave Code of 1661, exemplified this new system, granting privileges to all white men while stripping rights from Black individuals.

This led to entrenched systems of dehumanization. Black servants in Britain became symbols of elite status, as seen in aristocratic portraits where they were depicted as accessories to showcase wealth. Even within British territories, enslaved people were subjected to cruel practices like being branded with collars to signify ownership.

These legal and social shifts permanently categorized white as superior and Black as inferior, leading to racial stereotypes and exploitation that lasted well into modern times.

Examples

• The 1661 Barbados Slave Code first created race-based divisions within the colonies.
• Black servants were displayed in Georgian portraits to flaunt wealth.
• Brass collars were used as physical markers of Black enslavement in Britain.

5. Judicial Cases Dealt Early Blows to Slavery

The Mansfield Judgment of 1772 targeted slavery in Britain when James Somerset, an escaped enslaved man, sought freedom under British law. Granville Sharp’s legal team argued that no British law explicitly permitted slavery, challenging Somerset’s master’s claim to ownership.

The court ruled in favor of Somerset, freeing him and shaking the legal foundations of slavery in Britain. Although limited to Somerset’s specific case, many enslaved individuals interpreted it as affirming their right to freedom on British soil.

The ruling was an important step in the abolitionist movement. It fueled campaigns and inspired individuals to fight against the legalized oppression of slavery, both in Britain and across its colonies.

Examples

• James Somerset’s legal battle challenged Britain’s understanding of slavery laws.
• The Somerset case brought abolitionists like Granville Sharp into public prominence.
• Popular interpretations of the ruling inspired enslaved people to claim freedom.

6. Abolitionist Activism Led to Legislative Change

Organized abolitionists, including Black campaigners like Olaudah Equiano and Ottobah Cugoano, formed a powerful movement against the slave trade. Through books, lectures, and petitions, they exposed the horrors of slavery to the British public.

Efforts such as the sugar boycott became tools of resistance. Eventually, this activism led to the passage of the Slave Trade Act in 1807 and the Slavery Abolition Act in 1833. This decades-long struggle unified people across racial lines in the shared goal of dismantling the institution of slavery.

The enduring resolve of abolitionists further demonstrates how marginalized communities mobilized to enact sweeping societal changes, often at great personal risk.

Examples

• Olaudah Equiano’s autobiography became a bestseller.
• Mass petitions garnered 1.5 million signatures demanding abolition.
• Boycotts targeted slave-produced goods like sugar and rum.

7. Britain’s Economic Connection to Slave-Produced Cotton

Though slavery was abolished in Britain, the empire later indirectly benefited from American cotton cultivation during the industrial boom. Manchester and other cities depended heavily on U.S. cotton, much of it produced by enslaved labor in the South.

The economic entanglement became evident during the American Civil War when disruptions to cotton farming caused widespread unemployment in Britain. Despite Britain’s prior abolition of slavery, these ties reveal how deeply embedded slavery’s legacy remained in its economy.

This reliance on exploited labor from abroad underscores how even after legal emancipation, exploitation often shifted rather than disappeared.

Examples

• British factories processed as much as 97 percent U.S. cotton during some years.
• Massive layoffs occurred in England during America’s Civil War cotton shortages.
• Liverpool elites profited from the Confederate trade and initially backed the South.

8. Colonial Expansion Brought Further Exploitation

By the late 19th century, Britain controlled large parts of Africa due to the Scramble for Africa. Exploitation persisted under colonial systems, justified by racist ideologies like social Darwinism.

Technological advances in medicine, transport, and weaponry allowed the British Empire to expand rapidly across African territories. The spread of colonial rule enslaved millions under new economic systems and cultural dominations that mirrored older trade systems.

Rather than liberation, colonialism perpetuated racial hierarchies and continued the subjugation of African peoples across continents.

Examples

• The Maxim gun allowed small armies to overpower African resistance.
• The invention of quinine facilitated colonial expansions into tropical regions.
• “Human zoos” displayed Africans to European audiences as exotic curiosities.

9. Black Contribution to Britain’s Wars Was Overlooked

Despite being essential to Britain’s World War I and II efforts, Black servicemen experienced racism and neglect. From being relegated to non-combatant roles to outright attacks after returning home, their sacrifices were not equitably recognized.

Some, like William Tull, achieved significant military rank despite these barriers. Yet after the wars, racial tensions flared, leading to incidents like the lynching of Charles Wootton in 1919 during postwar violence.

This period highlights how Black contributions often went uncredited, even when they were integral to Britain’s defenses.

Examples

• One million African carriers supported British efforts in WWI.
• William Tull defied racial bans to lead troops as a Second Lieutenant.
• Returning Black veterans faced violence, such as in Liverpool’s 1919 riots.

Takeaways

1. Seek out marginalized voices when learning about history to gain a more inclusive perspective.
2. Examine historical lessons to understand how systems of exploitation evolve over time.
3. Challenge present-day stereotypes by reflecting on historical Black contributions often omitted from mainstream narratives.