Brilliant Black British History

(Paperback)

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Description

An eye-opening story of the history of Britain, focusing on a part of our past that has mostly been left out of the history books: Black British history. Did you know that some of the Roman soldiers who invaded and settled in Britain were Black Or that there were Black Tudors, Georgians and Victorians In this easy-to-read, chronological journey through our shared history, the award-winning author Atinuke brings her experience as an oral storyteller to carry readers through the fascinating history of Black people in Britain. The incredible journey through time is brought to life through illustrated scenes, detailed maps, and timelines created by talented illustrator Kingsley Nebechi. From science and sport to education and law, celebrate the hard work of brilliant Black people from different backgrounds that have helped make Britain what it is today. Learn about key and complex topics in history such as the world wars, slavery, the industrial revolution, Windrush and the Black Lives Matter movement. This fascinating book will change everything you thought you knew about our green-grey isles.

Reviews

I started reading and couldn't put it down. A fascinating, essential, inclusive dive into British history. It's the kind of book I wish was available when I was a kid. * Joseph Coelho, Waterstones Children's Laureate *
From its initial question Did you know the first Britons were black to an inspiring list of the Black people who make Britain great, this powerful, vividly illustrated book proudly reframes Black British history for readers aged 7 or 8+. * The Guardian *
Black British history is British history. We have been here on these shores for a long time and have been part of the British empire from its inception. That is why this book is important for all children so that they grow up knowing our history and being proud of our contribution. We are Britain. * Diane Abbott, MP *
From the very first people to set foot on these islands, Black people have made and shaped Britain into what it is today. Brilliant Black British History is the book I wished I had growing up. * David Lammy, MP *
This book is revolutionary. The average person is unaware of the rich history of Blackness in Britain and I love that this wonderful book helps us all to retrace our steps. A nuanced understanding of history leads to a beautiful manner of interacting with the world around us. Love this! * Kelechi Okafor, actor, writer and podcast host *
Brilliant Black British History is an informative and inspiring book that will have all children and young people asking further questions on factual Black British history. * Laura Henry-Allain MBE, award-winning writer, speaker and TV producer *
This book tackles complex subjects like slavery, the British Empire, the Industrial Revolution and the Black Lives Matter movement. With lots of maps, timelines and bold illustrations, this is a brilliant, fascinating history book. -- Book of the Week * The Week Junior *
This book is a huge step forward in ensuring racist attitudes do not progress into children of the next generation. It provides a contextual, globalised history that roots the Black British experience in histories of movement and migration, addressing the information gap in traditional mainstream education. We would recommend this book to any child, adult or teacher! * Stop Hate UK *
A comprehensive and fascinating book on Black History! I wish I had a something like this when I was a child. * Prof Nira Chamberlain, leading British mathematician *
The book is incredibly powerful and will inspire all children to believe in themselves * Marsha de Cordova, MP *
Not only is Brilliant Black British History a book to help black and brown children, children of skin colours other than white, to discover their confidence as they learn about how their ancestors have been embedded in British society for thousands of years, it is also a book that aims to help undo historical ignorance ... A fascinating and thought-provoking book. * Armadillo *

Author Bio

Atinuke was born in Nigeria and moved to the UK when she was a child. Her first love was performing stories and she now pours her creative talents into writing children's books, such as the enchanting fiction series Anna Hibiscus (Walker). Her recent picture book, B is for Baby (Walker) was long-listed for the Kate Greenaway Award. Many of her books, such as Africa, Amazing Africa (Walker), which won the 2020 School Library Association's Information Book Award, inspired by the beautiful continent of Africa. Kingsley Nebechi is a successful Nigerian-British artist, illustrator and graphic designer based in London. Inspired by African art, Kingsley is recognised for both his commercial and gallery work. He has worked with brands including Nike, BuzzFeed, Google and Sony and his artwork featured in Dapo Adeola's Hey You! (Puffin, 2021). Kingsley is a proud BLM activist, who has created powerful illustrations for this cause for the BBC and The Guardian.