The Windrush Years

Part 1
This series starts by admiring famous black people and praise the work that they have achieved. They then begin to explain what a tough life it used to be. Around half a million people from the West Indies were bought over to the U.K to work. Many helped in the war, and were treated equally as they were helping Britain. Jamaica is one country that was colonised by Britain, and therefore lead a British way of life, including respecting the royal family and having similar schools to the U.K.

Part 2
During the war, attitudes of many British people began to change. Many West Indian people became popular in the music industry, yet many British people began to discriminate against black people, and decided that they did not want them in the U.K. This resulted in many West Indians returning, however some stayed. Those who returned were soon given the opportunity to come back to Britain, and many accepted. Those who had never been to Britain thought it would be an exciting adventure.

Part 3
West Indians were sent to various places in the country to do manual labour work, such as factories. However, there was uncertainty in many jobs. Many people who had not been to Britain before were disappointed to find many dull buildings and factories, as from what they had read, they pictures Britain to be a beautiful place.

Part 4
Black people soon began to feel isolated from British people. Many British people did not want to associate with the West Indians. Some British people discriminated against how Black people washed in oil, and complained that they did not like the smell. Black people were shocked at how dull Britain looked. The racist and hurtful slogan 'Keep Britain White' was introduced to make black people feel unwanted and out of place.

Part 5
Many black people were forced to live on the streets, as British owners did not want black people to rent their property. Segregation seemed to be appearing as Black people formed their own clubs, idolised their own celebrities and listen to their own music. Soon enough, relationships between British people and black people began to form, with many British people being disowned by their families if they had a relationship with a black person. British people would also be spat on on the street by many for having a relationship with a black person.

Part 6
The amount of black people owning houses was increasing. British people gave black people 'dirty' jobs, continuing to be cruel to the black people. The discrimination and violence got so bad that black people carried things such as steel bars as a precaution in fear that they would be attacked. The Notting Hill riots became out of control, with petrol bombs being thrown in an attempt to start fires to harm black people.

Part 7
British people began to carry weapons to threaten black people, as they did not want them to stay in Britain. The violence continued, and many local British people said that it had to stop. Racial killings continued, as British people were carrying weapons as a threat, and black people carrying weapons as defence.

Part 8
In the 60's, a new type of party started to grow popular. Blau's house parties were parties where black people could feel safe and comfortable, and also enjoy themselves. Many people wanted to make Britain a multi-cultural society, and stop the feeling of segregation between British people and black people. Music that came over from the Carribbean became increasingly popular.

Part 9
Many middle class British women began to have affairs with West Indian men if they were not sexually satisfied at home. This affected the image of black men with in the media negatively, as they were presented as sly and sleazy. Discrimination continued as black people tried to form a multi-cultural society, however British people did not allow them in churches. This resulted in black people opening their own churches for black people to feel welcome and comfortable.

Part 10
Racism and discrimination towards black people continued. In some places such as Bristol, black people felt very uncomfortable and unsafe getting onto buses. Many black people were inspired by Martin Luther King, and followed in his footsteps by making a stand and finally leading Labour in 1964 to fight to have a race legislation.

Part 11
Celebrites donated money to Michael X's cause, where controversy began as white and black people began to follow him. However, he was hanged for murder. Black people still struggles to find housing, even though they worked hard for their living. Places in the midlands were one of the worst places for racism, with Birmingham supporting the Conservative party, and created another hurtful slogan 'Want a n***** neighbour, vote labour.' This leaded to black people feeling even more isolated.

Part 12
Enoch Powell had 3/4 of the country support him as he created an 'anti-immigrant' feeling across the country, showing that discrimination continued, and black people continued to suffer. Powell was sacked when he lied to make black people look bad. However, 50,000 people petitioned for him to be employed again, showing many British people still did not want black people living in the country.

Part 13
Racial abuse was still very bad in the 1980s. Near then start of the 80's, a racial attack on the British saw a house set fire killing 13 children. British people became angry as the amount of jobs available decreased, and felt that they deserved the jobs more than black people, some of which had jobs. The first generation of black people began to have children, who also had their own clubs to make them feel safe and comfortable. Black celebrities such as Michael Jackson became increasingly popular. Black children were discriminated by teachers as they were put in lower sets than other children, as teachers believed they were less intelligent meaning that many black children were not working to the best of their ability.

Part 14
Many black people decided that they wanted to protest, however only 150 black people did, compared to the 600 police that were there. Police disagreed with the protest and as a result black people were arrested for no reason. Violence continued and black people tried to get support for their children so that they felt safe.

Part 15
As a result of black people being arrested for no reason, they fought back and violence between black people and the police began. This negatively labelled the black people even more, and ended in negative stereotypes which annoyed black people. Bob Marley became popular in Britain, even to British people, however the lyrics were lyrics that black people could connect to. A march in Lewisham saw the violence and discrimination continue.