Black History - Small Island

I am sure you are well aware of the BBC's recent broadcast of Small Island, a film based on the novel of the same name by Andrea Levy. Small Island depicts the lives of Black men and women from the Caribbean during and after the Second World War, and their interactions with white people whom they meet when they come to Britain. It is due to be screened on PBS in the U.S. as well.

I was privileged to attend a screening at the Imperial War Museum recently, which included a Question & Answer session with the film's producer Vicky Licorish.

To read more, see Small Island.

In World War 1, African colonial troops were used by the Germans, the British and the French. Over a third of the troops were from Africa, the Caribbean and India.

In the Second World War, again, the Allied victories relied heavily on African American, African Caribbean and African troops. The majority of soldiers who liberated Paris were from Africa.

To read more about the contributions of people from Africa, the Caribbean and India, as well as African American People, to the First and Second World Wars, see Black History - Why Fight for Britain?

This event featured an appearance by Mr. Alan Wilmot, who served in the RAF Air-Sea Rescue.

Click here for future Black history presentations with Tony Warner.