In this lecture, we think about the earliest recorded Black presences in Britain, focusing in particular on: (i) the common misconceptions that the Black presence in Britain began with the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush in 1948, or even with the Atlantic slave trade; (ii) the ‘Cheddar Man’, who analysis has shown would likely have had very dark skin; (iii) inscriptions found in Cumbria describing a ‘Moorish’ unit posted along Hadrian’s Wall in the Roman era; (iv) the presence of ‘Afro-Romans’ in the North of England; (v) Septimius Severus, Roman emperor from 193-211, who was of African heritage on his father’s side; (vi) Septimius Serverus’ arrival in England in 208 to defend the northern border from Caledonian attack; (vii) the 1596 and 1601 open letters, purportedly written by Elizabeth I, which demanded the removal of ‘Blackamoors’ from Britain; (viii) John Blanke, the trumpeter from Henry VII and VIII’s court, depicted on the ‘Westminster Tournament Roll’ in 1511; (ix) Ignatius Sancho as a key figure in the 18th century who began life as a slave but fought to become an abolitionist, writer and composer; (x) Olaudah Equiano, a writer and abolitionist who became part of the Sons of Africa abolitionist group; (xi) Olaudah Equiano’s 1789 book The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vass the African; (xii) Mary Prince’s 1831 book The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave; (xiii) Thomas Pringle, a Scottish abolitionist who was told of Mary Prince’s experiences.

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This lecture is part of a larger course exploring the Black presence in Britain throughout history: massolit.io/courses/blackness-in-britain?source=yt

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MASSOLIT works with university academics to produce short video lectures in the arts, sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is available to schools and colleges on an institutional license as well as via private subscription: massolit.io/?source=yt