| British African-caribbean Community |
Article Index for British |
Website Links For British |
Information AboutBritish African-caribbean Community |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT BRITISH AFRICAN-CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY | |
| ethnic groups in the united kingdom | |
| immigration to the united kingdom | |
| african diaspora | |
| caribbean diaspora | |
|
The British African-Caribbean ('''Afro-Caribbean''') '''community''' are residents of the United Kingdom who are of West Indian background, and whose ancestors were indigenous to Africa . As Immigration To The United Kingdom from Africa increased in the 1990s, the term has been used to include UK residents solely of African origin, or as a term to define all Black British residents, though this is usually denoted by "African ''and'' Caribbean". The most common and traditional use of the term Afro-Caribbean community is in reference to groups of residents continuing aspects of Caribbean culture, customs and traditions in the United Kingdom. The largest proportion of the African-Caribbean population in the UK are of Jamaica n origin; others trace origins to nations such as Trinidad And Tobago , Saint Kitts And Nevis , Barbados , Saint Lucia , Grenada , Montserrat , Dominica , Anguilla , Antigua And Barbuda , Saint Vincent And The Grenadines , Guyana , which though located on the South America n mainland, has close cultural ties to the Caribbean, and was historically considered to be part of the British West Indies, and Belize (formerly British Honduras ), in Central America , which culturally is more akin to the Caribbean than to Latin America , due to its colonial and still-extant economic ties to the UK. African-Caribbean communities exist throughout the United Kingdom, though by far the largest concentrations are in 2006 '' HISTORY 2006 '' Since 2006 '' Many West Indians were attracted by better prospects in what was often referred to as the Mother Country . The "Windrush generation" 2006 ''.]] The ship '' 2006 ''. The arrival of the passengers has become an important landmark in the history of modern Britain, and the image of West Indians filing off its gangplank has come to symbolise the beginning of modern British Multicultural society. (See image here ). There was plenty of work in post-war Britain and industries such as 2006 '' In 1962, Britain passed the 2006 '' Recession and turbulence, 1970s and 1980s ]] The 1970s and 1980s were decades of comparative turbulence in wider British society; industrial disputes preceded a period of deep 2006 '' The riots had a profoundly unsettling effect on local residents, and led the then 2006 '' Recent history While individuals with Caribbean heritage excelled in a variety of fields in British society during the 1990s and 2000s, many recurring issues continued to impact the African-Caribbean community as a whole. The police response to the 1993 murder of Black teenager 2006 '' The community has suffered from an increasing association with gun-crime, heightened by high profile murders, such as that of . Guardian online. ''Accessed 5 November 2006 '' STATISTICS , 2006 '']] In the 2006 '' approximately 566,000 people classified themselves in the category ''Black Caribbean''. Out of a total UK Population of approximately 59 million, this amounted to slightly under 1% of the population. The total so-called 'visible minority' population (including South Asia ns, African, East Asia ns, Mixed and 'Other') was stated as 7.9% of the UK population (4.6 million) - of which 'Black Caribbean' constituted 12%. However, another 677,000 people (approximately 1.2% of the UK population) classified themselves as 'Mixed'. The census states that one third of this group has African-Caribbean and 'White' parents - which expands the demographic impact of the African-Caribbean community to about 1.4% of the UK population. In 2001, 61% of African West Indians lived in London. With regard to unemployment, men were three times more likely (14%), and women twice as likely (9%), to be unemployed than their 'white' counterparts (5% and 4%). African-Caribbean people were also found to suffer disproportionately lower Educational opportunities and be less likely to work either as self-employed or in managerial roles. THE COMMUNITY , born to Jamaican parents, became the first Black woman elected to the House Of Commons in 1987]] In many parts of Britain, African-Caribbean people have been recognised as being part of a distinct community. In the 1950s and 1960s Community Centre s and associations sprung up in some British towns and cities with an aim to serve African-Caribbean populations. One such example was the ''African Caribbean Self Help Organisation (ACSHO)'' which was formed in 1964 in the district of Handsworth in Birmingham. African Caribbean Self Help Organisation website . ''Accessed 2006 ''. Many of these associations appointed a Community Relations Officer whose role was to liaise between the community and wider British society including the Establishment . Other responsibilities included arranging social events, such as Festival s, carnivals and coach trips, which helped bring the communities together. Typical of present day centres is the ''The Afro Caribbean Millennium Centre'' in Birmingham which was established with National Lottery funding to support principally Caribbean people in areas like employment, housing, education, immigration, and cultural issues. Afro Caribbean Millennium Centre website .''Accessed 18 November 2006 ''. Although the community does not face any official or informal restrictions on Political Participation , Britons of Caribbean origin are nonetheless under-represented in local and National Politics . British African-West Indians have long asserted that they encounter discriminatory barriers to most middle and higher status occupations, as well as discrimination in hiring practices at all levels of Employment . There is also considerable evidence that African-Caribbean people experience differential treatment at the hands of public officials, the British Courts and penal system, and the Police . Studies have proposed that the isolation of certain regional urban areas by financial institutions such as Insurance brokers, disproportionately affects the community to its detriment. Britain's 2006 '' AFRICAN-CARIBBEAN CULTURE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM Carnivals African-Caribbean communities organise and participate in 2006 . Accessed '' 6 October 2006 ''. The carnival began in 1964 as a small procession of Trinidadians in memory of festivals in their home country. Other carnivals include the Leicester Caribbean Carnival , the Leeds West Indian Carnival and the Birmingham International Carnival Food peppers imported from the Caribbean on sale at London's Brixton Market . The peppers are a key ingredient of " Jerk " dishes.]] The earliest Caribbean immigrants to post-war Britain found differences in diet and availability of food an uncomfortable challenge. First Impressions of England in 1964 Migration histories. "The food which was served to us in seemingly enormous but bland quantities". Accessed '' 2006 ''. Religion The influx of African-Caribbeans to the United Kingdom was accompanied by religious practices more common to the North American continent. In Britain, many African-Caribbeans continued to practice 2006 '' Language and dialect English is the Official Language of the former British West Indies, therefore African-Caribbean immigrants had few communication difficulties upon arrival in Britain compared to immigrants from other regions. Nevertheless, indigenous Britons were generally unused to the distinct Caribbean Dialects , Creoles and Patois (''patwah'') spoken by many African-Caribbean immigrants and their descendants, which would be particularly problematic in the field of education. In a study by language and education specialist Viv Edwards, ''The West Indian language issue in British schools'', language – the Creole spoken by the students – was singled out as an important factor disadvantaging Caribbean children in British schools. The study cites negative attitudes of teachers towards any nonstandard variety noting that; As integration continued, African-West Indians born in Britain instinctively adopted hybrid dialects combining Caribbean and local 2006 . Accessed 6 October 2006 This phenomenon, disparagingly named "Jafaican" meaning 'fake Jamaican', was famously parodied by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen through his character Ali G . Theatre, television and mainstream cinema The 1970s saw the emergence of independent filmmakers such as Trinidadian-born 2006 ''. While 2007 The profile of African-Caribbean actors on Television , such as Lennie James , Judith Jacob and Diane Parish , has widened substantially since 1970s shows such as '' Love Thy Neighbour '' ( Rudolph Walker ) and '' Rising Damp '' ( Don Warrington ) when their role was often to act simply as either butt of, or foil to, racist jokes by 'white' characters. The most influential programme in moving away from this formula was the 1989–1994 Channel Four barbershop sitcom '' Desmond's '', starring Norman Beaton and Carmen Munroe . One of the biggest African-Caribbean names in 2006 ''. Literature , Brixton . In 1999 the street was hit by a nail-bomb planted by neo-nazi David Copeland . Copeland later stated that he was deliberately targeting the local African-Caribbean community. 1]] Jamaican 2006 '' Some Caribbean writers also began writing about the hardships faced by settlers in post-war Britain. George Lamming addressed these issues with his 1954 Novel ''The Emigrants'', which traced the journey of migrants from Barbados as they struggled to integrate into British life. By the mid-1980s, a more Radical wave of writers and poets were addressing the African-Caribbean experience in Britain, promoted by a group of new publishing houses such as Akira, Karia, Dangaroo, and Karnak House. In 1984, the poet 2003 . Accessed '' 6 October 2006 '' In 2004, 2006 '' Media '' 2006 . Accessed '' 7 October 2006 ''. Trinidad-born Sir 2006 ''. The community has a strong tradition of 'underground' ' 2006 '' Visual arts gallery which houses works by Donald Rodney and Sonia Boyce ]] One of the most influential African-Caribbeans in the British art world has been Dr. 2006 ''. Chambers worked with Donald Rodney and Sonia Boyce , both of whose work is represented in the permanent collections of the London's Tate Britain museum. In 1986 the Hayward Gallery presented the exhibition 'The Other Story' that provided a survey of African-Caribbean, African and Asian artists working in the UK. Other African-Caribbean artists of note include 2006 ''. The artist and producer Pogus Caesar was commissioned by Artangel to direct a film based on McQueen's work. ''Forward Ever - Backward Never'' was premiered at Lumiere in London 2002. Caesar has also established the OOM Gallery Archives, based in Birmingham, which has in excess of 14,000 images including photographs of contemporary Black British culture. Academia There are a number of African-Caribbean academics who are especially prominent in the arts and humanities. Professor 2006 ''. Other prominent academics include Dr Lez Henry of Goldsmiths College, and Prof. Harry Goldbourne , a former member of the radical group the Black Unity And Freedom Party , who went on to teach at the University Of The South Bank . Although there are hundreds of African-Caribbean teachers in the UK, it has been suggested that their under-representation in inner-city schools is a major factor in the failure, particularly of secondary-level schools, to achieve a satisfactory average of achievement for the community's children (see Bernard Coard and the Swann Report of 1985). The need to develop effective educational strategies for young people of African descent By Makeda J. Graham Music Frontman Dennis Seaton in 2005]] The period of large-scale immigration brought many new musical styles to the United Kingdom. These styles gained popularity amongst Britons of all cultural origins, and aided Caribbean music in gaining international recognition. The earliest of these exponents was the 2006 '' Other calypso musicians began to collaborate with African Kwela musicians and British Jazz players in London clubs. Jamaican music styles reached Britain in the 1960s, becoming the staple music for young British African-Caribbeans. Tours by 2006 '' As Jamaican ska gave way to the slower styles of 2006 '' , born to Scottish and Jamaican parents, as was 2006 '']] British music with reggae roots prospered in the 1980s and early 1990s. British African-Caribbean artists 2006 ''. British African-Caribbean music had been generally synonymous with Caribbean styles until the 1990s, although some artists had been drawing on British and American musical forms for several decades. In the 1970s and 1980s, British African-Caribbean artists such as 2006 '' British African-Caribbeans were at the leading edge of the 2006 ''. ° Story of Reggae UK Urban and Dance. BBC online. {Link without Title} . "When the UK started making its own dance music, the dub and remix techniques and bass-heavy sound balances of reggae dictated how things shaped up — drum'n'bass didn't even bother to think up a new name for itself. The later styles, jungle and UK garage, borrowed heavily from dancehall in terms of attitude and presentation". Accessed '' 2006 ''. Later, British African-Caribbean musicians and DJs were at the forefront of the UK Garage and Grime scenes.Story of Reggae UK Urban and Dance. BBC online. {Link without Title} . Accessed '' 6 October 2006 ''. AFRICAN-CARIBBEANS IN BRITISH SPORT British African-Caribbeans are well represented in traditional British sporting pastimes such as Football and Rugby , and have also represented the nation at the highest level in sports where Caribbeans typically excel in the home countries such as Cricket and Athletics . Some British African-Caribbeans have gone on to become international sports stars and top global earners in their chosen sporting field. Athletics Britain's first 2006 '' Jamaican-born 2006 '' Boxing British 2006 '' Cricket 2006 '' represented England , making significant contributions to the side. Football 's Michael Johnson , one of a number of British-born players to play for the Jamaica National Football Team ]] The first West Indian-born 2006 '' 's .]] Other early Caribbean footballers included Walter Tull, of Barbadian descent, who played for the north London club 2006 '' Blisset and Regis joined Viv Anderson to form the first wave of Black footballers to play for the England National Team . Although the number of players of African-Caribbean origin in the English league was increasing far beyond proportions in wider society, when Black players represented the English national team, they still had to endure racism from a section of England supporters. When selected to play for England, Cyril Regis received a bullet through the mail with the threat, "You'll get one of these through your knees if you step on our Wembley turf." By the 1980s the British African-Caribbean community was well represented at all playing levels of the game. 2006 '' Subsequently, Barnes identified a culture of racism in football during his era as a player. Players of African-Caribbean origin continued to excel in English football, in the 1990s Paul Ince - whose parents were from Trinidad - went on to captain Manchester United , Liverpool F.C. and the English national team. The contribution was reciprocated when a number of British born footballers including Robbie Earle , Frank Sinclair and Darryl Powell represented the Jamaica National Football Team in the 1998 World Cup finals. At the turn of the millennium, British-born Black footballers constituted about 13% of the 2006 . ''Accessed 26 October 2006 ''. became the youngest ever player to join an England World Cup Squad - a side which included African-Caribbean players in every department, goal-keeping, defence, midfield and attack. SEE ALSO
NOTES
REFERENCES FURTHER READING
Young Blacks, Political Groups and the Police in Handsworth An examination of police attempts to isolate young Blacks and attempts by leftist political groups to attract Black youth into their political orbit that preceded the Handsworth protests of 1985. EXTERNAL LINKS
Carnivals Community sites
|
|
|