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Heart of the Race: Black Women’s Lives in Britain
Heart of the Race is a powerful corrective to a version of Britain’s history from which black women have long been excluded. It reclaims and records black women’s place in that history, documenting their day-to-day struggles, their experiences of education, work and health care, and the personal and political struggles they have waged to preserve a sense of identity and community. First published in 1985 and winner of the Martin Luther King Memorial Prize that year, Heart of the Race is a testimony to the collective experience of black women in Britain, and their relationship to the British state throughout its long history of slavery, empire and colonialism. This new edition includes an introduction by Lola Okolosie and an interview with the authors, chaired by Heidi Mirza, focusing on the impact of their book since publication, and its continuing relevance today.
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 12, 1985
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 20, 2020
Originally written in the 80s, with an updated interview with the authors at the end, a lot of this feels like it could have been written yesterday. Offers a brilliant insight into the experience of Black women in Britain, backed up by personal experiences, with an educated description of the history. Also good analysis of the conflict between the Black women’s movement and other movements, like Black movements in general and white feminism.
I also think I learned more about the history of Africa and slavery reading the introduction to this than I ever learned in the 35 years before I read this book, and certainly more than I was ever taught in school.
One criticism that I had which was brushed over in the interview at the end was a lack of LGBTQ+ representation — I noticed its absence in the text and in the interview the authors mentioned that this had been a criticism previously levelled at them (that they excluded black lesbians and were not LGBTQ+ friendly) but basically dismissed it as being not true without backing it up. It was all a bit “didn’t happen”, or “we didn’t have time for that, they could have just organised stuff themselves”.
I also think I learned more about the history of Africa and slavery reading the introduction to this than I ever learned in the 35 years before I read this book, and certainly more than I was ever taught in school.
One criticism that I had which was brushed over in the interview at the end was a lack of LGBTQ+ representation — I noticed its absence in the text and in the interview the authors mentioned that this had been a criticism previously levelled at them (that they excluded black lesbians and were not LGBTQ+ friendly) but basically dismissed it as being not true without backing it up. It was all a bit “didn’t happen”, or “we didn’t have time for that, they could have just organised stuff themselves”.
July 13, 2020
This was a difficult, but necessary read. Difficult in terms of the subject matter, and feeling the shame of having been born and lived most of my life in a country that has consistently excluded black women from society and subjected them to horrific racial abuse and oppression, whilst relying so heavily on their underpaid labour.
Despite the weighty subject matter, this book is familiar and friendly in tone - I was expecting it to be quite a densely academic read, but it fact the writers had decided to place it all in the first person plural, using the collective 'we'. This made it an incredibly personal and affective read; further reinforced by the inclusion of engrossing personal histories which are woven into the narrative. Overall, it had a mesmerising, galvanising effect that lingers long after closing the book.
The ignorance and prejudice of so much of the country (this book mainly covers the 70s and 80s in the UK) at that time was (and still is) staggering - the eyewitness accounts were harrowing and very effectively showed how racism is enacted on both a personal and institutional level, and the effects this has on individuals.
I particularly enjoyed the 'Black Women Organising' section of this book; it was fascinating for me to learn more about the work of OWAAD (Organisation for Women of African and Asian Descent), the pardner scheme and the individual efforts of Olive Morris and Claudia Jones. The scope of the book is wide - covering such topics as education, housing, organising, healthcare, housing, policing, spirituality, language, mothering...it was deeply upsetting and disappointing to see that pretty much all of the issues discussed in this book are still very relevant today. We are nowhere near the post-racial, post-feminist world that we long for, and the struggle continues. This book was truly a collective, collaborative effort, the use of the collective 'we' was an homage to the oral tradition of passing down knowledge in African and Caribbean culture, and a way of personally claiming their own history - a history that has so often been left out of history books. It demonstrates the powers of unity, affiliation, creativity and collective strength in a way that is awe-inspiring and motivating.
Despite the weighty subject matter, this book is familiar and friendly in tone - I was expecting it to be quite a densely academic read, but it fact the writers had decided to place it all in the first person plural, using the collective 'we'. This made it an incredibly personal and affective read; further reinforced by the inclusion of engrossing personal histories which are woven into the narrative. Overall, it had a mesmerising, galvanising effect that lingers long after closing the book.
The ignorance and prejudice of so much of the country (this book mainly covers the 70s and 80s in the UK) at that time was (and still is) staggering - the eyewitness accounts were harrowing and very effectively showed how racism is enacted on both a personal and institutional level, and the effects this has on individuals.
I particularly enjoyed the 'Black Women Organising' section of this book; it was fascinating for me to learn more about the work of OWAAD (Organisation for Women of African and Asian Descent), the pardner scheme and the individual efforts of Olive Morris and Claudia Jones. The scope of the book is wide - covering such topics as education, housing, organising, healthcare, housing, policing, spirituality, language, mothering...it was deeply upsetting and disappointing to see that pretty much all of the issues discussed in this book are still very relevant today. We are nowhere near the post-racial, post-feminist world that we long for, and the struggle continues. This book was truly a collective, collaborative effort, the use of the collective 'we' was an homage to the oral tradition of passing down knowledge in African and Caribbean culture, and a way of personally claiming their own history - a history that has so often been left out of history books. It demonstrates the powers of unity, affiliation, creativity and collective strength in a way that is awe-inspiring and motivating.
June 15, 2020
Fascinating book which brilliantly switches between factual passages and real stories of black British women. Most of the topics covered are still so relevant, it’s hard to believe it was written over 30 years ago.
March 17, 2021
An essential oral history of Black feminism in the UK.
Read
July 26, 2021super straightforward, but definitely a worthwhile read for anyone invested in the intersections between labor rights and racism
November 25, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5.
A powerful and transformative book that brings to light the often-overlooked histories and experiences of black women in Britain. With a deeply empathetic narrative, the authors weave together personal stories, historical critique, and cultural analysis to give a voice to those who have long been marginalized.
This book is hard-hitting, giving the necessary lessons about Britain's colonial past and its lasting impact on race, gender, and class. It does not shy away from the uncomfortable truths of systemic racism and exploitation, making it a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the complex dynamics of British society. Sadly, the struggles documented within it are not confined to the past; they resonate deeply in the present day, serving as a poignant reminder of how much progress is still needed.
I leave you with an excerpt from a 1964 article in Freedomways, a Black American journal, written by visionary and pioneering journalist Claudia Jones:
“The citizens of the ‘Mother of Democracy’ do not yet recognise that the roots of racialism in
Britain were laid in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries through British conquests in India,
Africa and great parts of Asia, as well as the British Caribbean. All the resources of official
propaganda and education, the super-structure of British imperialism, were permeated with
projecting the oppressed colonial peoples as lesser breeds, as ‘inferior coloured peoples’,
‘savages’ and the like – in short, ‘the white man’s burden’. These rationalisations all served to
build a justification for wholesale exploitation, extermination and looting of the islands by
British imperialism. The great wealth of present-day British monopoly capital was built on the
robbery of coloured peoples by such firms as Unilever and the East Africa Company to Tate &
Lyle and Booker Bros. in the Caribbean.”
Jones's words reflect the essence of Heart of the Race- a call to acknowledge history, confront injustice, and honor the voices of Black women whose stories have shaped and enriched Britain’s cultural fabric.
A powerful and transformative book that brings to light the often-overlooked histories and experiences of black women in Britain. With a deeply empathetic narrative, the authors weave together personal stories, historical critique, and cultural analysis to give a voice to those who have long been marginalized.
This book is hard-hitting, giving the necessary lessons about Britain's colonial past and its lasting impact on race, gender, and class. It does not shy away from the uncomfortable truths of systemic racism and exploitation, making it a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the complex dynamics of British society. Sadly, the struggles documented within it are not confined to the past; they resonate deeply in the present day, serving as a poignant reminder of how much progress is still needed.
I leave you with an excerpt from a 1964 article in Freedomways, a Black American journal, written by visionary and pioneering journalist Claudia Jones:
“The citizens of the ‘Mother of Democracy’ do not yet recognise that the roots of racialism in
Britain were laid in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries through British conquests in India,
Africa and great parts of Asia, as well as the British Caribbean. All the resources of official
propaganda and education, the super-structure of British imperialism, were permeated with
projecting the oppressed colonial peoples as lesser breeds, as ‘inferior coloured peoples’,
‘savages’ and the like – in short, ‘the white man’s burden’. These rationalisations all served to
build a justification for wholesale exploitation, extermination and looting of the islands by
British imperialism. The great wealth of present-day British monopoly capital was built on the
robbery of coloured peoples by such firms as Unilever and the East Africa Company to Tate &
Lyle and Booker Bros. in the Caribbean.”
Jones's words reflect the essence of Heart of the Race- a call to acknowledge history, confront injustice, and honor the voices of Black women whose stories have shaped and enriched Britain’s cultural fabric.
August 17, 2020
The Heart of Race was initially published in 1985 and Verso re-released it in 2018 with a new Foreward and Afterwords to bring context to the work of these women in the 21st Century. It highlights how systemic racism has been and continues to be a problem in the UK. The work focuses on the Black women that came across in the 1950s and 1960s from the Caribbean, when all of the West Indies (as they were known then) under British rule were deemed British citizens and could freely come to Britain.
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The book has an initially academic set-up with chapter one, but then quickly falls into a much easier narrative that combines women's voices and facts. The book splits into 5 chapters focusing on; Black Women and Work, Education, Health and Welfare Services, Black Women's Organisation and Black women's understanding of their culture and identity. This split offered a cohesive and thorough examination of core needs of women and people and how Black women suffered unnecessarily because of gender and race in Britain.
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I think the book really benefited from the stories from various women that were included (who remained anonymous to protect their identity). There was lots of great poetry excerpts (and I'm not a poetry fan generally but I enjoyed these). One personal favourite was from Louise Bennett Jamaica 'Oman.
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This book was an excellent introduction to British racism and the problems Black British women have faced and continue to face. I bought this e-book last month, but the e-book is currently free on Verso, they just ask you to donate the amount to a relevant cause.
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"The mainstay of British culture has been the assertion of its superiority over others, it's total negation of non-European cultures in general and Black people's cultures in particular."
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The book has an initially academic set-up with chapter one, but then quickly falls into a much easier narrative that combines women's voices and facts. The book splits into 5 chapters focusing on; Black Women and Work, Education, Health and Welfare Services, Black Women's Organisation and Black women's understanding of their culture and identity. This split offered a cohesive and thorough examination of core needs of women and people and how Black women suffered unnecessarily because of gender and race in Britain.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I think the book really benefited from the stories from various women that were included (who remained anonymous to protect their identity). There was lots of great poetry excerpts (and I'm not a poetry fan generally but I enjoyed these). One personal favourite was from Louise Bennett Jamaica 'Oman.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This book was an excellent introduction to British racism and the problems Black British women have faced and continue to face. I bought this e-book last month, but the e-book is currently free on Verso, they just ask you to donate the amount to a relevant cause.
April 27, 2019
This book was written before I was born and I found it sad that I could still relate to the experiences black women faced then. What's more positive is that black women of my generation are continuing the fight, only possible because books like these have helped us to better understand, be assured and be confident in our identity.
One thing this book also highlighted is what we’ve been saying that black people are not a homogeneous group. As an African black British woman, I struggled at times to relate to some of the experiences specific to Caribbean women, which this book focuses on.
Overall, a very insightful and enjoyable book.
One thing this book also highlighted is what we’ve been saying that black people are not a homogeneous group. As an African black British woman, I struggled at times to relate to some of the experiences specific to Caribbean women, which this book focuses on.
Overall, a very insightful and enjoyable book.
July 13, 2019
An essential account of the struggles faced by the Windrush generation, and black women in particular, and the vital role they played in rebuilding post-war Britain. An unflinching analysis of black history in colonial and post-colonial Britain, the astonishing levels of institutional racism, and the fight for acceptance and equality. This book should be essential reading for anyone who believes black people have no place in Britain.
June 21, 2019
Brilliantly written, comprehensive and (unfortunately) still highly relevant
November 22, 2021
There is something disturbing in re-reading an analysis of both current circumstances and historical struggle after over 30 years and realising just how little has changed. The Heart of the Race, which I first read not long after it was first published in the mid-1980s, remains a classic of Black feminist analysis, recounting lives, struggles and resistance of Black women in Britain. Although it focuses on period from the later 1950s to the early 1980s, the narratives of alienation, dispossession, oppression and marginalisation remain as powerful now as then, and although many of the names have changed the shift in circumstances is of degree (not always for the better).
Beverly Brian, Stella Dadzie and Suzanne Scafe’s classic text blends the lives, words and lived experiences of whose everyday existences are shaped by systemic and structural oppressions as well as the everyday conditions of racism and sexism. The first three of three five substantive chapters, those dealing with Black women’s experiences of work, education and the health and welfare systems paint a compelling picture of a social order that expects much and offers little. The blend of sociological and historical analysis with the oral narratives of workers and students, parents who negotiate a school system on behalf of their children, those who keep the health and welfare systems running and who are treated abysmally by those same systems, bring the otherwise often soulless data of other studies to life.
Slightly less resonant with the now are the final two chapters, considering Black women’s political organising and resistance and the building of cultural networks community identity. Although both continue the different circumstances mean these discussions are more historically distinct – yet many of the debates and issues remain current and resonate even if the detail seems more distant.
Aside from a short and rich introduction, the new part of the book is the afterword – where the authors discuss the writing process and contemporary significance of the book with Heidi Safia Mirza. This not only gives insight to a collective writing process, it is also a powerful reminder of the richness and intensities of the political struggles of the early to mid1980s, and exists as a powerful reminder of both how far and how little we have come in the suing decades to a world where imperial nostalgia is re-legitimating the systemic and personal racisms that much of this functioned as a rebuttal of 35 years ago. All that goes to make this powerful, essential and a reminder that in the absence of more profound change the struggle remains constant.
This is a foundational text for an historical understanding Britain and its global tentacles of empire, mode more significant by its continuing relevance as an analysis of the now.
Beverly Brian, Stella Dadzie and Suzanne Scafe’s classic text blends the lives, words and lived experiences of whose everyday existences are shaped by systemic and structural oppressions as well as the everyday conditions of racism and sexism. The first three of three five substantive chapters, those dealing with Black women’s experiences of work, education and the health and welfare systems paint a compelling picture of a social order that expects much and offers little. The blend of sociological and historical analysis with the oral narratives of workers and students, parents who negotiate a school system on behalf of their children, those who keep the health and welfare systems running and who are treated abysmally by those same systems, bring the otherwise often soulless data of other studies to life.
Slightly less resonant with the now are the final two chapters, considering Black women’s political organising and resistance and the building of cultural networks community identity. Although both continue the different circumstances mean these discussions are more historically distinct – yet many of the debates and issues remain current and resonate even if the detail seems more distant.
Aside from a short and rich introduction, the new part of the book is the afterword – where the authors discuss the writing process and contemporary significance of the book with Heidi Safia Mirza. This not only gives insight to a collective writing process, it is also a powerful reminder of the richness and intensities of the political struggles of the early to mid1980s, and exists as a powerful reminder of both how far and how little we have come in the suing decades to a world where imperial nostalgia is re-legitimating the systemic and personal racisms that much of this functioned as a rebuttal of 35 years ago. All that goes to make this powerful, essential and a reminder that in the absence of more profound change the struggle remains constant.
This is a foundational text for an historical understanding Britain and its global tentacles of empire, mode more significant by its continuing relevance as an analysis of the now.
September 23, 2023
I read this book for a research essay I did on the black women’s activist group OWAAD from the 70s and it served as one of my key sources in the topic! Through collating testimonies of the experiences of black women and black women’s groups across London, this book was like a historical goldmine.
The authors lay out that there are three main difficulties black women in the UK faced in the 70s, difficulties that I would argue are still prevalent today. Namely, that black women face racism, sexism and classism, and that they are unable to join pre-existing groups for one without being subjected to another. Thus, the need for an activist group that advocates specifically for the rights of black women was necessary.
Some of the streams of thought in this book are very clearly dated, such as their resistance to feminism because unlike feminists, they don’t hate men. However, I think that whilst some things in this book may have to be taken with a pinch of salt, it would be anachronistic to hold it to modern standards.
Overall, very good! Helped me gain insight into black women’s plights/activism in the UK as well as was just an easy read. Would recommend if this is an area of history you’re interested in.
The authors lay out that there are three main difficulties black women in the UK faced in the 70s, difficulties that I would argue are still prevalent today. Namely, that black women face racism, sexism and classism, and that they are unable to join pre-existing groups for one without being subjected to another. Thus, the need for an activist group that advocates specifically for the rights of black women was necessary.
Some of the streams of thought in this book are very clearly dated, such as their resistance to feminism because unlike feminists, they don’t hate men. However, I think that whilst some things in this book may have to be taken with a pinch of salt, it would be anachronistic to hold it to modern standards.
Overall, very good! Helped me gain insight into black women’s plights/activism in the UK as well as was just an easy read. Would recommend if this is an area of history you’re interested in.
November 4, 2021
A brilliant book I picked up at the ICA in London during the time of their War Inna Babylon exhibit. This collectively written book taught me so much about the power of collectivism within Black women communities in the UK. The collective raising of children and providing childcare, the collective saving in the form of parenders and their origin story, the forming of action groups.
The 16 page intro chapter ‘The ties that bind’ should be essential reading in all schools. I have never read such a concise but detailed dissection of the 400 year lead up to the the arrival of Caribbean’s en mass in the UK. It centres this history around how black women largely experienced it and their interactions with education, healthcare and work in Britain and their subsequent mobilising for change that followed.
I’ve since come to learn it’s deemed as a feminist classic and I understand why. Will no doubt re-read, some try gems are contained within.
The 16 page intro chapter ‘The ties that bind’ should be essential reading in all schools. I have never read such a concise but detailed dissection of the 400 year lead up to the the arrival of Caribbean’s en mass in the UK. It centres this history around how black women largely experienced it and their interactions with education, healthcare and work in Britain and their subsequent mobilising for change that followed.
I’ve since come to learn it’s deemed as a feminist classic and I understand why. Will no doubt re-read, some try gems are contained within.
January 26, 2021
This book covered how black women experienced the various facets of life and society in Britain and how in each of these, they experienced racism, sexism, and classism. Despite it being written in 1985, it still feels completely relevant today. This edition included an afterword which showed how life has changed (or not) in Britain for black women. The afterword was a really insightful reflection on the previous 30 years and the modern day. Often with academic texts, the writing can be completely inaccessible and difficult to read, however with this book this was not the case; the writing style meant that the book was easy to follow despite it being information-heavy. Another positive of this book was the inclusion of first-hand, lived experiences by various black women in the UK.
February 27, 2023
a very comprehensive history of the black labour movement in the caribbean all the way from the 19th century until now. probably the most comprehensive account i’ve ever read. a little bit hotep cis bw glorifying contribution to national identity and struggle but this is to be expected of a book written in 85. the templates included in here for black communal organising is crucial and the stories made me laugh out loud and again sink deep into the knowledge of just how evil this country is. i would have given five stars but i think i got lost towards the end and the mixed race accounts made me roll my eyes. a very necessary read, however and will absolutely be synthesising these templates of resistance for future use.
April 24, 2023
I found an original edition of this book on my grandmother's shelf and was intrigued. Would it provide relevance to the black experience today? To an immense extent, it does. The fluid chronological approach to recounting stories and experiences is incredibly effective in showing Britain's racist colonial heritage and how pervasive it is throughout 80s England, and no doubt today. Around the halfway mark it becomes a little tiresome to read but a little perseverance lead to a really good final section.
July 11, 2022
Whenever I see a book described as 'essential' it irritates me (essential for what?) but this is the closest I've come in a long time to understanding what it means. I just feel like everyone should read this book. I just really, really want to live in a world where everyone has read this book. Please, please read this book. I genuinely think the world will be a slightly better place for you having done so.
April 22, 2024
very informative book. i learned quite a few things i didn't know about. i thought there would be more information on different individuals within the history of black women in britain but at the end when they spoke about how it was more of a collective book it made sense bc it did focus more on the collective rather than just individuals.
April 10, 2018
I was hoping to read about both the African and Afro-Caribbean perspectives on living and working in the UK but the book focused mostly on the Afro-Caribbean POV. Nonetheless this was an interesting and informative book.
May 1, 2020
Fascinating. Eye opening. Difficult to read but that’s just the nature of most academic texts really! Worth it though.
July 10, 2021
My daughter is currently reading and I’m eagerly awaiting a ‘meaty’ conversation with her. She’s is a vegetarian I shall add — and wink.
November 13, 2023
Holds a lot of relevance to the Black British experience in 2023 despite being written in the 80s.
February 19, 2024
An amazing book, in understanding black British history and women’s involvement within it. The wind rush women did so much, I recommend this to everyone.
January 1, 2021
Really glad this has been reissued. A really informative and useful book which doesn't flinch from addressing complexities.
April 22, 2020
A must-read
May 14, 2019
Very interesting and informative. Made me question my own experience of culture and explained the origins of certain organisations. It increases the value of history and how it is passed down to future generations.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews