Brilliant Black British History

by Atinuke, Kingsley Nebechi (Illustrator)

'I started reading and couldn't put it down. It's the kind of book I wish I'd had when I was a kid'
Joseph Coelho, Children's Laureate

'This book is revolutionary'
Kelechi Okafor, actor, writer and podcast host

An eye-opening story of Britain, focusing on a part of our past that has mostly been left out of the history the brilliant Black history of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Did you know that the first Britons were Black? Or that some of the Roman soldiers who invaded and ruled Britain were Black, too? Join this fascinating journey through the ages to meet those first Britons, as well as the Black Tudors, Georgians and Victorians who existed in every walk of life here. The incredible journey through time is brought to life through Atinuke's fascinating storytelling and illustrated scenes, detailed maps, and timelines created by illustrator Kingsley Nebechi.

From science and sport to literature and law, celebrate the brilliant Black people who have helped build Britain. Learn about key and complex historical topics such as the world wars, slavery, the industrial revolution, Windrush and the Black Lives Matter movement. This fascinating book will change everything you thought you knew about our green-grey British isles.

'We would recommend this book to any child, adult or teacher'
Stop Hate UK

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Childrens

125 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 31, 2023

About the author

Atinuke is a Nigerian-born author who started her career doing traditional oral storytelling. Her books include a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor Winner, a Notable Book for a Global Society, a Cybils Award Winner, and an Africana Award Winner. She lives in Wales.

Reviews

[Jack Potter · Rating 1 out of 5]

A ridiculous book. Any simple Google search, research from a genuine book or even looking the smallest bit of critical thinking would show you just how incorrect this book is. To think that editors actually allowed this to get past them is beyond me. Look at the census data for Britain and you will see how nonsensical this book it.
It is pure propaganda that seems to be focused on erasing and rewriting British to be more inclusive. It is a deeply worrying book.

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book isn't even a book, its just b******* some moron (or liar) made up. It shouldn't have been published as a history book. Stop re-writing history. One star.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most attractive and informative factual books for children that I've seen in a long time. I very much enjoyed the style which makes it easy to dip in and out of the book if you can tear your eyes away. Bright, colourful illustrations make the book so engaging and interesting and I am ashamed to say that I was unaware of a lot of the facts included. Should be in every school library in my opinion.

[Katie Baker]

Fake History We can all google and know you are making up your own history.

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic chronological history of Black Brition - from the First Britons to the Black Lives Matter movement. The book is truly inspiring and educational - an essential read.

A beautifully illustrated, attractive non-fiction book in perfect sized sections, accessible for readers of all ages will devour.

My son spent hours gaining new information and admiring the illustrations. I don't think he has ever spent so much time with a book!

I highly recommend this book, it should be in every home, book corner and library. I myself learnt so much from reading it. There is information to be gained by both children and adults.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives children the opportunity to learn about brilliant black history, and for adults to read and discuss Britain’s history with their children. So much of our school curriculum is still ‘white Britain’ centred. This book is part of telling true the historical story of Britain. The book would make an excellent place in the classroom to start a lesson on this topic through reading and discussion. What am going to do? Accept and promote to my pupils that we are all unique individuals, celebrate difference! Thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s Books and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this is a book aimed at Children, Black history in Britain is something I knew very little about. I found this book interesting and informative. As it is aimed at younger readers it can come across a bit patronising but I would still recommend adults read it. I found some of the links slightly tenuous but other than that it was a fairly good book.

[Eywai · Rating 1 out of 5]

This author falsifies history.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this. Both accessible and attractive, this effectively used different page spreads and layouts to get the different information across. The illustrations are beautiful and really enhance the book. I particularly liked the scope of the book, packing in pre-history all the way through to modern times, picking out key points in history. There was actually quite a bit I was unaware of which I loved, and I'm sure there will be a lot for young readers (and older ones like me), to discover and think about.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is well illustrated and covers Black British history. I had not heard of a few of the people mentioned before reading the book, and it was easy to go on the Internet to find more information about them. Even though it is a children's book, I found it captivating. I, too, wish there were books like this in libraries when I was growing up in England.

[IronPuppy50 · Rating 1 out of 5]

A great book if you enjoy fiction. Unfortunately though, there’s no real history here, only falsehoods.

[Nick Gerr · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hahahahaha I guess it makes them feel better about their lack of real achievements.

[Alison Caller · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book. I loved the positivity and the different perspective. It’s extremely powerful when the wrongs and atrocities of the British is laid out and carefully explained. I was left wishing that I was black too. I have a few redeeming features though, my family were historically Irish and were also colonised by the British!

Also my brother did a dna test and our ancestors were from the Middle East. 😌

About a third of my school is BAME and I know that those children will really appreciate a book that can make them feel proud of their heritage.

[Magpie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those criticising have little actual knowledge of British history. Yes, this is oversimplified, but it's a children's book. Shame on all those racists denying our shared history! This is a wonderful book, especially for young black children whose predecessors may have been whitewashed from history, but also children and adults of all backgrounds who may have been lied to with all the whitewashing so prevalent in British culture.

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for a children's book. This tells the history of Britain through the eyes of a black person. From Bronze Age to modern times. There's not a lot of detail, but it presents the basic historical facts. At times it seemed like an outline instead of a written history.

I read some of the comments and was quite surprised by the one star comments saying that this author made up this history. Shame on them.

[Carcassonna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Seriously?!! Books like this one perpetuate false beliefs and misconceptions about history and lead to shallow or superficial interpretations of significant events and trends. Information here are oversimplified, one-sided, very selective and ignoring complexities and nuances of history. And all the people here praising it, did they deactivated their brains??
Here are few examples:
Book Claim: The book states that the first Britons, including Cheddar Man, were Black with dark skin, blue eyes, and curly hair.
Correction: While Cheddar Man's DNA analysis indicates he had dark skin and blue eyes, it is not accurate to generalize that all early Britons were Black in the contemporary sense of the term. Cheddar Man represents a particular individual, and the population at the time had varied appearances due to different genetic influences.
Book Claim: The book claims that 11 percent of people in Roman York were Black.
Correction: The claim that 11 percent of Roman York's population was Black is likely an overestimate. Roman Britain was a diverse place with people from various parts of the Roman Empire, including North Africa, but precise population percentages are difficult to determine accurately.
Book Claim: The book claims that Vikings were buried with items bearing Islamic inscriptions and that Anglo-Saxon King Offa minted coins with Islamic declarations.
Correction: While some Viking artifacts have been found with Islamic inscriptions, this does not imply widespread Islamic influence in Viking or Anglo-Saxon England. Offa's coins with Islamic inscriptions were likely intended for trade with the Islamic world rather than indicating a significant Islamic presence in England.
Book Claim: The book claims that the Mali Empire sent ships to South America.
Correction: There is no credible historical evidence to support the claim that the Mali Empire sent ships to South America. This assertion is based on speculative interpretations of historical records and lacks concrete evidence.
Book Claim: The book claims that the first white Britons arrived about 4,500 years ago and that Britain was Black for 7,500 years before that.
Correction: The evolution of skin color in human populations is complex and not accurately described by such specific timelines. The genetic variations that lead to differences in skin color have evolved over tens of thousands of years and are influenced by various factors, including migration, adaptation, and genetic mixing.
Book Claim: The book suggests that Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor, became emperor in York, England.
Correction: Constantine the Great was proclaimed emperor by his troops in Eboracum (modern-day York) in 306 AD, but his significant contributions to Christianity and his reign were centered around the broader Roman Empire, not specifically in Britain.
Book Claim: The book states that Stonehenge was built by people with dark brown skin who migrated to Britain around 6,000 years ago.
Correction: While the genetic makeup of the population during the time Stonehenge was constructed may have included individuals with darker skin compared to the modern British population, it is inaccurate and an oversimplification to state that Stonehenge was specifically built by Black people. The builders of Stonehenge were part of a prehistoric culture in Britain, and genetic studies indicate a diverse ancestry among the Neolithic population, including influences from Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) and Western Europe.
Book Claim: The book states that Britain stole 3.1 million people and that Britain did not start the slave trade but grew to be the biggest slave-trading nation in the world.
Correction: While Britain was indeed a major player in the transatlantic slave trade, it is not accurate to attribute the start of the slave trade to Britain alone. The transatlantic slave trade involved multiple European nations, and it was a complex system with origins in earlier African and Arab slave trading practices.
Book Claim: The book portrays African empires as highly advanced and having significantly influenced European civilizations, including sending ships to South America and having five-story buildings with running water.
Correction: While African empires such as Mali, Songhai, and Benin were indeed advanced and made significant contributions to culture, science, and trade, some of the specific claims, such as sending ships to South America and the extent of architectural advancements, are not well-supported by historical evidence. These claims may be based on speculative or anecdotal sources.
Book Claim: The book suggests that Black inventors like Elijah McCoy and Lewis Latimer were central to the technological advancements of the Victorian era and the Industrial Revolution.
Correction: While Elijah McCoy and Lewis Latimer made significant contributions to engineering and technology, the narrative may overstate their centrality to the broader Industrial Revolution, which involved many inventors and innovations over a long period.

The book oversimplifies complex social and historical contexts. The narrative selectively highlights certain aspects while downplaying others.

[Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautifully illustrated book has a powerful message that all children should hear.

It has the chance to inspire generations to come, and while most of it is factually accurate, there are a couple of things that need to be fact checked again. (Specifically the origin of Rock n Roll).

I found this an engaging piece that younger readers will love. However, some parts read really repetitive, and could do with some tweaking.

Each page contains stunning artwork that engages readers of all ages, and I love that a book like this exists.

🎁 thank you to Bloosmbury Creator Circle for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[R V · Rating 1 out of 5]

“The Things We Didn’t Achieve” a book of lies to confuse, disappoint and dumb down your children. Nothing in this book is true. Imagine basically telling your children that your culture is so devoid of ANY accomplishments throughout the history of mankind that you are giving them this book of made up facts instead… The writer of this farce should be ashamed of herself.

[Lord Bathcanoe of Snark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes black people did build Stonehenge. Did you know that they also put men on the moon a thousand years before the Americans did. I also believe they invented the steam engine and discovered penicillin.
BOZINGA!
Black people should be immensely proud of all their real achievements throughout the course of history.
But let's not make stuff up.
No stars really....

[Chris · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is what Orwell warned us about: the re writing of history.
Propaganda and factually incorrect.

[Michael Anthony · Rating 1 out of 5]

It lies.

[Stratospherus · Rating 1 out of 5]

What an absolute load of tosh rubbish of biblically huge dung proportions. I guess this is why these books are aimed at children as these people are obviously impaired to speak to the adults.

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Is this supposed to be satire, because it certainly bears no resemblance to actual British history? One star is too much for this agenda-driven tosh.

[Judith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst fantasy book I ever read. Unfortunately there are people who will read and believe this pile of crap.

[Jasper.Fant9gmail.Com · Rating 1 out of 5]

How is this listed as non fiction? Ridiculous.

[Kitchen Sink Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of the over 30 books that Atinuke has written she considers this to be the most important. Why? Because when she began writing it in 2020, when the Black Lives Matter Marches were taking place, she could not find a book to explain and present to children the story of Black British history through the ages. No matter your skin colour this is a history that is important and interesting, it is a history that is part of all of our lives and heritage. Like Atinuke you may think the story began with the Romans but no, it is back 12,000 years that she can go, that this book goes and from there she provides us with so many facts that it is mind-blowing in places. Be prepared to have your eyes opened, and don’t forget to make full use of Kingsley Nebechi’s illustrations too.

Not only is Brilliant Black British History a book to help black and brown children, children of skin colours other than white, to discover their confidence as they learn about how their ancestors have been embedded in British society for thousands of years, it is also a book that aims to help undo historical ignorance. It is not that young learners are intentionally ignorant of this history, more that it has not before been given much prominence in the curriculum. This is a history book, a fact book and a story, the story of people and their backgrounds, their involvement in the country they called home. The book looks at world wars, questions and controversies about slavery. It provides a new look at the industrial revolution and moves forward to the history of the more recent past, including the present day with the topics of Windrush and Black Lives Matter. A fascinating and thought-provoking book.