Africa and Britain: A Forgotten History

Just why has black British history been whitewashed? This episode delves deep to unlock a forgotten history of slavery and exploitation. Starting off in third century AD, award-winning historian David Olusoga explores the long relationship between Britain and people of African origins – from African Romans who guarded Hadrian’s Wall to the black trumpeter of the Tudor courts.

How much did the shameful slave trade shape the history of Britain? Acclaimed historian David Olusoga looks into the business side of slavery and the legacy of this horrific pursuit. There are also tales of brave black sailors who fought for Britain in great naval battles and a boxing superstar from the time of Jane Austen.

In the third part of this groundbreaking series, historian David Olusoga explores the Victorian moral crusade against the trade of African slaves. He finds out how Britain’s Queen Victoria came to have a black god-daughter, why the mill workers of Rochdale in England came to stand in solidarity with enslaved Africans in the American Deep South, and remembers the victims of a tragedy in Jamaica.

The remarkable tale of three African kings who stood up against the might of the British Empire, an irresistible crooner, race riots in the English city of Liverpool and the shaping of black British identity in the 20th century. Award-winning historian David Olusoga continues his journey of discovery into the tangled history of Britain and those of African origin.