Rushing Forward

First of all, congratulations to the many from the community who were awarded MBEs this year in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2008, including children’s author Malorie Blackmon, playwright Roy Williams and novelist Alex Wheatle, who is featured in this issue.

People generally ask about the theme of this annual publication and are surprised when told, “There isn’t one; it’s a simple blend of the past, the present and the future.” In other words, it’s good to look back but let’s acknowledge who is creating history NOW.

That said, Windrush is a topic that is so important in British history that to ignore it would be tantamount to burying one’s head in the sand. Surprisingly, many adults who should know better ask, “What is the Windrush?”

In short, the Empire Windrush is the troop ship that carried the first high volume of adventurous black people (and they were British citizens) who migrated from the Caribbean to England in 1948, at the invitation of Britain.

These pioneers, mainly Jamaicans, paved the way for black people of other countries to settle in England to enjoy liberty and freedom of expression.

The Caribbeans were the ones who bore the brunt of the racism that is now regarded as un-PC, took and returned the pasting and whose indomitable spirit refused to capitulate and accept what was being meted out. As a Jamaican-born, my hat goes off to those men and women, some of whom you will meet in our Windrush Special on pg ?

Moving forward sixty years, Black Heritage Today could not ignore what is happening across the pond.

Win or lose, Barak Obama, having made it this far, gives hope to millions that finally the glass ceiling has a massive crack in it… hopefully nobody has a vat of super glue to hand!

Enjoy reading Black Heritage - we enjoyed putting it together for you.

Barbara Campbell

Winner: International Woman of Excellence Award (March 2007)
Winner: Gathering of Africa’s Best Award (November 2006)
Winner: GWINN (Global Woman of Innovation and Invention Award 2005)