BLACK BRITISH LIVES MATTER book makes the political personal – and distinctly British

Co-founder of Comic Relief, comedian and actor Lenny Henry, along with journalist Marcus Ryder, were both initially concerned that their book Black British Lives Matter might be seen as to be “hijacking” a “specific political term coined in America.” 

After addressing their concern with various people, including historian David Olusoga and playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah, it was agreed that the term Black Lives Matter goes way beyond addressing police violence in America; moreover, that the Black British experience does nothing but add to the Black Lives Matter movement. Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon, child prodigy and STEM diversity champion, comments in this book that the BLM slogan has “ended up being a simple statement of fact.”

For their book Black British Lives Matter, then, Henry and Ryder have commissioned 19 essays from prominent Black British names. Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Dawn Butler MP, journalist Nadine White, the aforementioned Olusoga and myriad others draw on their own Black British experience as well as from their respective fields of expertise, whether it is law, mental health, technology, business, politics or the arts. Black British Lives Matter adds up to a timely, eye-opening and empowering read.