‘The transfer of wealth from India’s Bengal treasury to Britain [was] eye-watering…’ Britain still benefits from being the largest Empire in the world.

Black History isn’t just of black people for black people. It is the fragmented history that contributes to the overall tapestry of a collected history, and as such it is for us all to know, understand and learn from. Britain’s Empire was the largest in the world, covering 13.01 million square miles of land - more than 22% of the earth's landmass. The empire had 458 million people in 1938 — more than 20% of the world's population. Black History is a major part of Britain and the Empire, making Black History a part of world history. 

‘The British Empire began with overseas colonies and trading posts and in the end comprised dominions, protectorates, and mandates, as well.  It was made up of 13 million square miles of land - more than 22% of the earth's land-mass. In 1922, the Empire had a population of 458 million people or about 20% the global population.’ (Ten Greatest Empires in the History of the World.) 

It stands to reason that an Empire this large profited financially. Many of us have heard told to us that ‘slavery was ages ago,’ and we should just ‘get over it.’ But Britain still benefits from empirical money, and those wanting reparations for slavery and the slave trade are well aware of this as well as the link between the royal family and slavery. 

‘The slave-trading initiatives endorsed by the English monarchy began with Queen Elizabeth I’s enthusiastic support of John Hawkins’ slaving expeditions in the 1560s. In three separate voyages backed by government officials, London merchants, and the queen, Hawkins raided African settlements on the West African coast and seized hundreds of enslaved captives from Portuguese ships. In defiance of Portugal’s dominance over the European slave trade in Africans, Hawkins sold his cargo of African captives in the Spanish Caribbean. After his profitable second voyage, the queen honored Hawkins with a coat of arms and crest featuring a nude African bound with rope.’ (Throne of Blood.)

Black History Month is a chance to celebrate Black achievement and provide a fresh reminder to take stock of where systemic racism persists and give visibility to the people and organisations creating change. Post George Floyd we have seen change happen, albeit not enough or at the speed we need.  

In this article I interview Professor Corinne Fowler. Corinne Fowler is Professor of Colonialism and Heritage at Leicester University. She specialises in colonial history, decolonisation and the British countryside’s relationship to Empire. Her most recent book is Green Unpleasant Land: Creative Responses to Rural England’s Colonial Connections Peepal Tree Press, 2020). Her forthcoming book is The Countryside: Ten Walks Through Colonial Britain (Penguin Allen Lane, 2023)

The first question asked of Professor Fowler was if she could explain how Britain was still benefiting from its colonia/empirical history.

“Britain’s ongoing prosperity is closely connected to the Empire, which kick-started European economies with an influx of wealth from commodities like sugar and tobacco, all produced by the slavery system. Development was correspondingly held back in the Caribbean, which was reduced to supplying raw materials to boost British wealth-creation and technological development with raw materials like cotton – the mainstay of the later industrial revolution. Meanwhile, the transfer of wealth from India’s Bengal treasury to Britain is eye-watering. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, many Britons invested in companies that were involved in the slavery business or other colonial enterprises and they then reinvested this wealth in slate quarries, cotton mills, railways, land and cultural institutions like art galleries, theatres and museums.”

How important do you think it is to teach Black History as shared British/global history?

“There is a big gap in public knowledge about the Empire and this is due to successive governments failing to incorporate British colonial history into the school curriculum. After Empire, generations of children grew up without knowing the basics, the extent and nature of colonial activity and not knowing about the Virginia Company, the Royal African Company or the East India Company. It is vital to understand our history, because it explains so much about the present: our wealth and our multicultural society particularly. It would be so much better, also, if our children could learn about global history such as African and South American civilizations as well as the modern history of anti-colonial activism and independence movements.”

Do you think the British Monarchy should be abolished because of its empirical roots?

“About 40 percent of Britons are republican and younger generations are more inclined to call for an end to the monarchy than the older generations. It would be good to start with an education programme which tells the full story of royal involvement in slavery and colonialism more broadly, because they were integral to it. At the very least, the Royal family has an ethical obligation to tell the full history of its own role in the institutions and companies which were pivotal to the British Empire, the slavery system and colonial investment and wealth-creation.”

In terms of moving Britain forward to a more inclusive future, what do you think should/could be done to heal the rifts of the past between the black and the white British people?

“This is British history, not some sub-category of history and we are all involved. White Britons are connected to this history in all kinds of ways: militarily, financially and through the previous actions of their families. Mine, for example, were French East India Company officers and enslavers in Haiti. Understanding and acknowledging these shared histories is an important start. But ultimately I see the possibilities of a better future: my son is typical of this generation of teenage Britons – he is of African-Venezuelan-French-British ancestry – his classrooms are global meeting places where every pupil is different from her or his classmates. In British schools today it is normal to be connected to many continents. It is matter-of-fact. Ultimately I believe that going to the same schools, playing in the same football teams, being in each others’ houses will help build connections so that people can know, feel and respect each others’ humanity.”    

What are your top three recommendations of books that people can read to help give themselves a more accurate picture of British History and how it impacts us today?

• Sathnam Sanghera Empireland
• David Olusoga Black and British
• Miranda Kaufmann Black Tudors

Is there any important issue that you would like to highlight within this article?

“I would only add that this is sensitive history: there is trauma on one side of it and historical ignorance, hostility and denial at the other side. Acknowledging this history inevitably changes people’s world views and this requires effort, patience and commitment to adjust to. Historians can help resource critical, evidence-based understandings of Britain’s colonial past. Ultimately better public knowledge of it will help tackle racism, the cause of endless emotional labour, exclusion and disadvantage for everyone who has to endure it.”

British History, because of Empire, is a world history, just like the English language no longer belongs to the English but is a world language. Black History is a part of this world history. And as such, it is something we all need to know and understand.

Professor Corinne Fowler’s books can be found here.