Black Adjustment to British Culture and Society: the History of Afro-Caribbean People in the UK from the Post World War II Onwards
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Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research University of Oran Faculty of Letters, Languages and Arts Department of Anglo-Saxon Languages Section of English Black Adjustment to British Culture and Society: The History of Afro-Caribbean People in the UK from the Post World War II Onwards. Dissertation presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Magister in British Civilisation SOUTENUE LE 16/09/2013 Members of the Jury: Submitted by: President Dr. Abdelkader Lotfi Benhattab Sihem Boudjahfa Examiner Dr. Leila Moulfi Superviser Pr. Rachida Yacine Academic Year: 2012-2013 Dedication I dedicate this work to my parents, my brothers for their constant support and encouragements. I am extremely grateful to the loving support of my sister, my husband and above all my children. Their unreserved love, respect, and support for me have meant more to me than they could imagine. I wish them every success as they follow their own path. In memory to my late teacher, Dr. Benali Rachid I Acknowledgments I wish to thank all those who have in one way or another been helpful in the course of bringing this dissertation to successful completion. I thank members of my dissertation jury, Dr. Benhattab and Dr. Moulfi for their contributions. I am grateful to my supervisor Pr. Rachida Yacine for her great intellectual and moral support without which this dissertation would not have come to light. In addition, due thanks should go to my teachers at English department, specifically to Dr Bouhadiba Malika for her great moral support and contribution, as well as all members of staff at Translation Department, the faculty of Letters, Art and Languages who have constantly been encouraging and motivating me. I also thank my friends who are too numerous to mention. II Table of Contents Dedication…………………………………………………………………………..I Acknowledgements………………………………………………...……………...II Abstract……………………..……………………………………………...…….III List of Figures and Tables……………………………………………………....IV Table of Contents...……………………..………………………………………..V General Introduction…….…….………………………………………………….1 Chapter One: Early Presence of Black People in Britain up to 1945 1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………5 2. Early Black Presence up to the 16th Century………………………...……...5 3. Black People during the 16th Century………………………………..…. …6 4. Queen Elizabeth’s Reaction to Black Presence……………...…………..…8 5. Black Presence from the 17th Century to Emancipation…………………..10 5.1 Blacks’ Status in Britain before the End of Slavery…………….…13 5.2 Slavery and the British Empire Ascent…………………………….18 5.3 British Black people Involvement in the Abolition of Slavery…….24 6. Black Community after the End of Slavery…………………………...…..32 7. Black British Efforts during the World Wars……………..………………34 8. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………37 Chapter Two: Blacks Immigration after WWII and the Rise of British Racism 1. Introduction …………………………………………………………...40 2. Black Britons and the Policy of Immigration since WW II…………...41 III 2.1 British Nationality Act 1948…………………………………...43 2.2 Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962…………………………46 2.3 Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1968…………………………50 2.4 The Immigration Act 1971……………………………………..52 2.5 British Nationality Act 1981…………………………………...53 3. Race Riots, Disorder and Urban Unrest in Britain……………...……..55 3.1 Nottingham Riots and Notting Hill Race Riots in the 1950s…....55 3.2 Brixton Race Riots in the 1980s…………….………………...…58 4. The Roots of Racism and Urban Unrest in Britain…………………….63 4.1 Enoch Powell’s Rivers of Blood………….……………………...66 5. Race Relations Policy in Britain………………………………………69 5.1 Race Relations Act 1965……………………………………….…69 5.2 Race Relations Act 1968……….…………………………………70 5.3 Race Relation Act 1976…………….…………………………..….72 6. Conclusion……………………………………………………………..74 Chapter Three: Black British Challenges and Achievements during the 21st Century 1. Introduction……………………………………………………………76 2. Black Immigration and Multiculturalism in Britain……………..…....77 3. Socio-Economic Situation of the Black British Community………….80 3.1 The Spatial Distribution of Black Minorities……..……………….82 3.2 Educational Attainment of Black Ethnic Groups…………………84 3.2.1 The Evolution of the Conceptual Approach to Education in England………………………………………………………………...84 3.2.2 Educational Attainment of Black Pupils: Current Facts………..87 3.3 Labour Market Activity of Black British People……………….…90 4. Black Immigration during the 21st Century………………………..93 4.1 Immigration under the New Labour Government………………..98 5. The Political Participation of Black Ethnic Groups……………….102 IV 6. Black British Impact on British Culture and Society…………….104 7. Conclusion…………………………………………………………108 General Conclusion………………………………..…….…..……………...111 Tables and Figures……………………………………………………….....114 Appendixes………………………………………………………………..…138 Bibliography……………………………………………………..………….148 V Abstract The fact that Britain is nowadays a multi cultural and a multi racial society is an undisputable reality. This is mainly the outcome of successive waves of immigrants from the New Commonwealth countries. History has witnessed the extraordinary changes and development from slaves and mere ‘accessories’ and ‘chattel’ to full British citizens. Their extraordinary journey in Britain has been full of sufferings and hardship. Contrary to their alleged inferiority, their ever lasting struggle against persisting white racism has been the proof of their courage and greatness. In addition to old settled communities of black people who came as a result of the slave trade, other Caribbean and African people came to Britain during the wars to help for the war effort and to fight for their mother country. They were joined by greater waves of immigrants after the war to help Britain reconstruct its economy and to fill the acute labour shortage that it was facing. All of them came hoping for better lives and recognition, yet all they found was huge racism and hatred. Their disillusionment had been great indeed. They were given jobs with menial functions, low paid and night shifts that white people did not want. They faced daily discrimination in housing, education and work. They were frequently confronted to colour bars in public places and were harassed in the streets. At different occasions, they had been the target of the racist attack performed by white youths in violent riots. Today, black people are an integrant part of the British society. They have completely changed the face of Britain changing it from an exclusively white society to a multiracial one. Over time their communities have largely expanded. The successive waves of afro Caribbean people have brought about irreversible changes to the British culture, geography and society. Their presence has irreversibly altered the meaning of ‘Britishness’. Every aspect of British life, whether political, cultural or social, has been influenced by the black culture. In spite of the challenges that they are still facing, a great improvement has been made since the post war period. A number of them have managed to achieve great fame and success, and most of all recognition and are celebrated worldwide. VI List of Tables and Figures Tables to Chapter One Table 1.1 Slave Imports into British America, 1619-1808…………………………...…114 Table 1.2 Slave Voyages from Liverpool, London and Bristol in War Time 1739-1807. (Number and percentage share of three ports)…………………………………………..115 Tables to Chapter Two Table 2.1 Home office’s estimates of net inward movement of persons from West Indies and East and West Africa, 1955-1962…………………………………………………..116 Table 2.2 National Insurance’s estimates concerning immigrants from West Indies, East Africa, West Africa and South Africa, 1956-1960……………………………………...116 Table 2.3 Immigration vouchers issued under the 1962 Commonwealth Immigration Act 1962-1964……………………………………………………………………………….117 Tables to Chapter Three Table 3.1 Ethnic Composition of the UK, 2001………………………………………...118 Table 3.2 Ethnic Groups by Age (DC210EW) England and Wales…………………….119 Table 3.3 Distribution of Educational Qualifications by Status of Generation and Ethnicity…………………………………………………………………………………120 Table 3.4 Social Class Profile of the White and Ethnic Minority Populations, 1971, Females and Males (%)………………………………………………………………….121 Table 3.5 Labour Market Status of Ethnicity……………………………………………122 Table 3.6 Sources of Total Weekly Household Income: by Ethnic Group of Household Reference Person, 2006/07–2008/09……………………………………………………123 Table 3.7 Decline in UK-Resident Caribbean- Born population, 1981-2001…………..123 Table 3.8 Black African Population: by Region of Birth, April 2001…………………..124 Figures to Chapter One Figure 3.1 Growth of Minority Ethnic Population in Britain 1951-2001…………….…125 VII Figure 3.2 ONS estimates of ethnic population in England and Wales in 2001, 2007 and 2011, consecutively……………………………………………………………………...126 Figure 3.3 Ethnic Groups in England and Wales, 2001-2011…………………………..128 Figure 3.4 The Geographical Distribution of Black Caribbean, Black African and Black Other Groups, 1991……………………………………………………………………..129 Figure 3.5 Ethnic groups by English regions and Wales, 2011………………………..132 Figure 3.6 Number of Pupils Permanently Excluded from School in 2000-2001…….133 Figure 3.7 Rates of Permanent Exclusions by Ethnic Group………………………….133 Figure 3.8 Ethnic Pay Gap, London Residents, 2006 to 2009…………………………134 Figure 3.9 Year of entry to the UK of Black African- Born People, 1960-2007………134 Figure 3.10 Geographical Distribution of Black-African people, 2001………………...135