I don't remember reading anything remotely as thorough and well documented on that topic, as this account of the origins and evolution of black people in Britain. It offers prespectives that were in some cases completely new to me and certainly different to what I was taught in school. It paints the picture of a much more nuanced British history and shakes the popular belief that British society is historically and intrinsically inclusive and at ease with its diversity.
This work is a critical reminder that nothing should be taken for granted. That the fight for equality and human rights for all ethnicities, even in our thought-leading, first-world countries, is still very much on-going. Although it can be an intimidating and painful read at times, due to its length, academic prose and the horrors it relates, I believe this work is an essential read for anyone who wants to better understand the shape of modern British society and how we got here.
We must ourselves be open to the complex realities of the past as well as the complex challenges of the future.
— Professor Stephen J Toope, Only by understanding our past can we shape our future