Author: Trevor Philips, Mike Philips
publisher name: Harper Collins Publishers
ISBN: 9780006530398
Windrush: The Irresistible Rise of Multi-Racial Britain is a collaboration between broadcaster Trevor Phillips and his novelist brother Mike. The book retells the very human story of Britain's first West Indian immigrants and their descendants, spanning from the first wave of immigration in 1948 to the present day.
The narrative opens with the memories and impressions of the survivors of the voyage of the Windrush, the troop ship that brought the first West Indian immigrants to Great Britain in 1948. The book unfolds as an epic tale of British life in the twentieth century, chronicling the experiences of migrants, their descendants, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. The testimonies of politicians who made key decisions and those who opposed the presence of black settlers are also included.
Windrush covers crucial events in British social history in the second half of the twentieth century, including the riots of the late fifties and early sixties, the impact of Powellism, the transformation of England's inner cities, and the contemporary debates about Englishness. The book concludes with a portrayal of multi-racial Britain in the present day, celebrating the contributions of black Britons and reflecting on the new heritage that Britain carries forward into the twenty-first century.
