Black Poppies: Britain's Black Community and the Great War

by Stephen Bourne

In this updated edition of his acclaimed study of the black presence in Britain during World War I, Stephen Bourne illuminates fascinating stories of black servicemen of African heritage. These accounts of the fights for their "Mother Country" are charted from the outbreak of war in 1914 to the conflict’s aftermath in 1919, when black communities up and down Great Britain were faced with anti-black "race riots" despite their dedicated services to their country at home and abroad. With unprecedented access to the wartime personal correspondence of the Jamaican siblings Vera, Norman and Douglas Manley, Bourne helps bring to light the day-to-day trials, tribulations and tragedies of life on the battlefield. Replete with previously unseen and unpublished images, the stories of servicemen like Arthur Roberts—"Scotland’s Black Tommy"—and Trinidadian soldier and campaigner George A. Roberts sit alongside the experiences of people of African descent at home during World War I. These include a black police officer, munitions factory workers and even stars of the stage like Cassie Walmer. Informative and accessible, with first-hand accounts and original photographs, Black Poppies is the essential guide to the military and civilian wartime experiences of black men and women, from the trenches to the music halls.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, World War I, British Literature

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2013

About the author

Stephen Bourne is a British writer, film and social historian specialising in black culture.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen...

Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
“The near-total exclusion from our history books of black servicemen in the First World War is shameful…. Some black servicemen made the ultimate sacrifice … and like Walter Tull, died on the battlefields but with the passing of time, with the exception of Tull, the contributions of black servicemen have been forgotten”
Part of my periodic reading concerning WW1; this fills many of the gaps in conventional histories. It charts the involvement of black soldiers in the conflict and the reactions to them by the army hierarchy and the lower ranks. Bourne charts their struggles and tells the story of a few of the individuals. He does much more than this; outlining the history of black communities in Britain, which goes back to the 1500s (possibly earlier). In 1914 there were approximately 10,000 black Britons and this had trebled by the end of the war.
The book also looks at the home front and some of the women of the black community. Two in particular sparked my interest. Amanda Aldridge and Avril Coleridge-Taylor. Avril Coleridge-Taylor was Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s daughter and as I am sure you are all aware, he was a well-known composer. What I didn’t know was that his daughter was also a composer. Amanda Aldridge was a singer and singing teacher. One of those who later studied with her was Paul Robeson.
There is also a section on the 1919 anti-black riots in London, Liverpool and Cardiff. Bourne has done his research and has produced a very informative account which I am sure ought to be part of every school history curriculum. The history of black Britons is almost totally absent from British historiography and this books helps to begin to restore the balance. There is an excellent and moving collection of photographs included as well. There are also references to other important works, to diaries, novels and accounts that are too neglected.
Bourne reports that he was affected by some of the information he researched;
“For example, I was deeply moved by the tale of Private Herbert Morris, a sixteen-year-old Jamaican lad who joined the British West Indies Regiment but was traumatised by his exposure to the noise of guns on the front, where he stacked shells. Consequently he was executed for desertion, though pardoned in 2006. Also moving is the story of Isaac Hall, another Jamaican, working in Britain, who was imprisoned as a conscientious objector when conscription was introduced in 1916. He suffered bullying and horrific injuries during his internment at Pentonville Prison but was saved from his ordeal by the pacifist, Dr Alfred Salter.”
Bourne describes himself as a community historian and this is a very competent introduction to Black British history.

[K.J. Charles]

This is an extremely useful account of black lives in England in the post-Edwardian times--it divides between soldiers, home front in WW1, then post war. Lots of stories, quoting lots of voices, and making it very clear that 20th-century black British history didn't start with the Windrush. Some utterly shameful stuff on the 1919 race riots, which I'd barely heard of, and heartbreaking accounts of loneliness, but also a lot of people standing up for themselves, families, and communities, some great stories of wartime heroism, and a lot of people just getting on with life. I like the account of Cardiff's magnificently multicultural Tiger Bay, and Crown Street in the East End of London, which was locally called Draughtboard Alley (checkerboard for Americans) because of the black and white families living side by side,

A detailed overview of a part of British history that's too often ignored or unknown. The writing is pretty factual, and a bit pedestrian, but the facts are the important things here, so.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen Bourne relates the lives of people of African descent in Britain during the period of the first World War. We find not only a thriving Black community at that time but many individuals who distinguished themselves in Britain's army, navy and air force.

I particularity liked the set of photographs from the period plus the extensive reference provided by the author. Having reached the centenary of the first world war, this book has to be recommended reading for anyone interested in the history of that conflict and should be included in the British school curriculum.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

detailed and interesting history of the black community serving in the great war sadly was a forgotten history until more recently, well worth reading

[Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness. My goodness we as a country have much to repent. I had no idea that black folk were in communities in this country prior to Windrush so my eyes have been opened. That they, in some places like Liverpool, can trace their ancestry back ten generations was stunning. That the black soldiers who fought in the World Wars were UK citizens was also a revelation: I had just thought they were just those men who came from overseas. That these folk were then the target of race riots in 1919 because they “taking the bread out of the mouths of the discharged soldiers” That the black folk were themselves discharged soldiers and seamen clearly did not cross minds. And indeed black military personnel were banned from the Peace March in 1919. Unbelievable.
As I read this book - and read of the officers, composers, doctors, seamen, singers, musicians, pilots, firefighters - I felt my world changing in the sense that preconceived ideas were being examined and discarded. It is so important that these folk are remembered, that Black History Month really ought to be extended, and that representation is increased. As John Archer said in 1918, a few weeks after the war ended: “the people of this country are sadly ignorant with reference to the darker race, and our object is to show to them that we have given up the idea of becoming hewers of wood and drawers of water, that we claim our rightful place within this Empire... if we are good enough to be brought to fight the wars of the country we are good enough to receive the benefits of the country.”
That Black folk still suffer discrimination and abuse is testament that there are still ignorant people out there. Luckily books like this exist to reduce those folk by at least one...

[Roisin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this! This amazing history book by Stephen Bourne looks at those that fought, were in the army and distinguished themselves during WW1 and were from the black, African and Caribbean communities in Britain and the British colonies.

The book is split into three parts, besides looking at the British West Indian Regiment, it also features a look at notable people like Jamaican Prime Minister, Norman Manley, Walter Tull, Amanda and Avril Aldridge and many other people that I have never heard of before including those that lived at this time, some of whom performed on stage.

Most seem to forget that Britain had a bigger empire than it does, (now referred to as 'overseas territories') and that many, many non-white people fought and helped the allies during World War 1 besides World War 2. Many black people saw themselves as British, and tried to joined the war effort but were excluded due to their colour. Some of those experiences are here. Those that came, were often not treated well by white locals.

I loved the first hand accounts and the pictures featured, many of which one does not always see in exhibitions or books on WW1. Emotional and extremely shaming in parts are some of the histories, e.g. The Race Riots of 1919, Charles Wooten and the suicide note of Grace Stevenson. Some of these experiences will bring shivers down your spine. Tears, even anger. The book also contains some interesting experiences, like some of Norman Manley's wartime experiences where his white comrades supported him. These histories place black people in British history at an important period in world history and time.

[Nathan Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Important book about an overlooked part of the first world war.

[em · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow, what an incredibly insightful and well researched book. You can tell that the author has spent hours and hours researching these war heroes, their lives and their stories. It was so refreshing to read about men and women whose lives have been glossed over in favour of their White counterparts. Bourne writes in a way that’s accessible and easy to understand, without leaving out crucial information. There was so much knowledge in this book, and so many names I had never heard before, but there was something deeply moving in reading this and knowing they have finally etched their names into the history books. Incredible.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good start for further studies for the Black British community

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating subject matter but weak execution, very underdeveloped portraits of black people in the UK around WWI

[Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful but disappointing. An interesting and important topic surely deserves better writing.

This lacked structure and any narrative coherence. Read it, do; but approach it as a set of often brief pen portraits without expecting more.

Even the research came across as superficial, with footnotes often referencing Bourne's entries in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, rather than primary sources.

[Bob Duke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I choose to read this book due to the outbreak of post Brexit racism that has become manifest in the UK. I had noted on social media some posts by those who favoured Brexit seeing this as making golliwogs socially acceptable again. Perhaps those who a desirous of this need to read this book.

[Andria Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great collection of known information about black service members with the British Army in WWI. Author is thorough, passionate about his subject, and personally invested in his historical research.

[Helen Pakpahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting collection of biographies and accpunts of Black British and Caribbean soliders experiences in World War One.
Also includes first-hand recollections of 1919 race riots in Liverpool and Cardiff.

[Lorna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book! If you learn just one thing from a book, it was worth reading - I learnt a LOT from this one. It is very well written.

[Shona Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading David Olusuga's Black and British book, and various others I was interested to go into more depth about the communities of Black families in the UK predating WW2.

This book is excellent with lots of different first hand accounts by black people and their families.

It is very sad in places and contains details of the treatment of Black servicemen that the British government should be ashamed of.

Although some long dead servicemen have been given pardons for supposed crimes such as desertion, a lot more can still be done.

I'd recommend reading this book to anyone wanting to fill in the gaps in knowledge that a British school education will have left.

Having studied history to A level I had no idea that 33% of the British army during WW1 were black. Pretty sure that nothing of this sort was included in either GCSE or A-level back in the 90s.

[DAVE O'DWYER Ba Ma · Rating 4 out of 5]

How ignorant I feel after reading this book. I knew the story of Walter Till because of his football prowess and my being a Spurs supporter. I had no idea of the involvement of thousands of black people who volunteered in joining Britain's military during the first and second world wars.Many of these heroes were awarded gallantry medals yet were treated so badly and discriminated against by their Motherland. An example being that black troops were not allowed to take part in London's victory celebrations in 1919. There are many stories in this book that celebrate and recognise the contribution and sacrifice that black people gave to Britain. The book has certainly opened my eyes and taught me so much, the author deserves my praise for bringing these people to life and their stories immortalised for today's and future generations to learn from.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book to read. I wish history in schools weren't so white washed. This is a must read because you see holes in our history, its really important to mend these holes, to begin telling the whole picture of our past, not just British past, but global history.

At school I found history so dull because it focussed on the same things related to England- like the plague and WW2 from the perspective of Britain against the Nazis and there was no expansion on this. Anne Frank's diary wasn't even mentioned.
As a kid I wanted to learn world history, history of cultures not my own, of people from differing backgrounds, lives and ethnicities.

This book is so important as a reminder of the brave black communities (and other minorities) who fought in the great war. Includes real personal accounts and beautiful images of some of the incredible people.

A must read!

[Anne Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

There have been Black people living in Britain since the 1500s, some of whom served in the First World War. Others travelled, often at their own expense, to fight for the Mother Country. How tragic, then, to read about the racist riots that terrorised black families in some English and Welsh seaports, which one historian likened to Kristallnacht in Nazi Germany. But, as outlined movingly in his introduction, the author's main aim for this book was to help contemporary young black Britons growing up in a racist country to feel pride, not victimhood, in their heritage.

[Richard Keogh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some strong narrative being woven but mostly a reference book. The people are rarely fleshed out and is more a list of facts than History. The chapter on the British West Indies Regiment was a brilliant highlight, however. It lacked depth and often the people had so little said about them it went right out one ear.

As an entry level book to the subject it was good. If you know a bit more beyond Year 8 History, you'd probably prefer reading one of the many other lengthly quoted histories by other historians like Peter Fryer.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The term 'forgotten war' appears all to often. Its use is justified. For one reason or another records are lost. This is another chapter in history that has gaps. It is important, therefore, books like this are written. This book is well researched but there are negatives. The dissertation style of writing has a heavy use of quotations. It can feel brief. The introductory chapters includes analytical interviews which is a good approach but the rest of the book does not continue in this way.

[Isabel Nicholson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting starting point to delve deeper into First World War stories that are not always front and centre. The book gives an overview of British society as a whole and of Black British communities within it. The book looks into families and communities across Britain and has given me some ideas of where to continue reading after this.

[Sabrina_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a brilliant book about black brits forgotten history and contribution to WW1. We often think the African and Caribbean communities did not arrive in Britain until the windrush but we were here long before that and it’s a shame It’s not apart of the curriculum in schools.

[Yasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long overdue book on the history and lives of Black servicemen in the UK for primarily the First World War. It's brief but very much worth to read.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

So interesting

A part of black history that I had never heard about. Just amazing that there is not more known about this.

[James Dumas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining, educational and moving. These previously invisible people are brought to light in all their human complexity and glory. Putting back the black in the union jack.

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Might pick it up again but for now, I'm going to abandon this book.

[Patrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the newer edition to the one shown here - very insightful!