‘The Plight of The So Called Early Immigrant in Britain’

The recognition of equality and the fundamental human rights of the African/Caribbean minority communities to partake in their just demands, both in reality and in principle, the needs denied to them by the means of covert and institutionalised racism.

Historically the facts speak for themselves, the people of the Caribbean did not arrive on these shores as refugees fleeing from poverty, wars, or other calamities which affect human beings from time to time.  The position is clear and must never be forgotten, that at no time in the history of the Caribbean has anyone ever witnessed the spectacle or pot bellied and emaciated children, suffering from malnutrition and other diseases brought on by hunger and poverty.  Neither can one deny the fact that the majority of  Afro-Caribbean people in England, came from the island of Jamaica which had the status of a Crown Colony, thereby making them an integral part of the United Kingdom and Colonies.

Prior to 1966 the people of Jamaica held passports which gave them the same rights as that of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  A citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies.

The Afro-Caribbean people are not trying to evade the issue, neither are we trying to forget our past, we have never looked at ourselves as immigrants, as it is impossible for one to emigrate to his/her own country, history will tell you.  We did not need a passport to land on these shores, the birth certificate ascertaining your place and date of birth was enough.

The people of the Caribbean came to England during the War because they saw it as their patriotic duty to lay down their lives for their country.  They were not conscripted, but saw it honourable to volunteer their services in whatever way possible and indeed many thousands never returned home, their remains were left scattered on the battle fields of North Africa, Europe and other parts of the world, others sunk to the bottom of the sea in the merchant ships sunk by Germans.  These seamen of the Merchant Navy gave their lives with dignity and pride as they struggled to maintain the life blood of England by carrying the food and other commodities.  While they who stayed at home in the Caribbean toiled and sweated in the heat of the islands to produce food to keep the soldiers on the battle field going.

As if this was not enough, in 1946 when the War was over Winston Churchill their great statesman came to the Caribbean and pleaded with the Caribbean people that they should come to this country to help rebuild their shattered Mothers land.

Later on the arrival of Enoch Powell in Barbados creeping to the Barbadians to join the Jamaicans to help Britain back on its feet.  The same man who years later made the infamous river of blood speech in the Houses of Parliament.  Lest we forget these are facts which cannot be forgotten, at least not by the people of the Caribbean.  Yes in their ungratefulness the powers that be conveniently reject all these facts as  stated and continue to pretend that we made no contribution whatever to the freedom and democracy which they proudly and hypocritically boast of, yet deny the people of colour their inherent rights.

Today we are called immigrants, migrants, the powers that be namely the government and the media, have built up a myth, so cold and calculating, so mind conditioning, that they have learned to believe their own lies and falsehood, which they surround the African Caribbean people with.

The powers that be have discredited us to such an extent that even the Caribbean people themselves can never believe that they too fought and died for this country, that they also have a right to live with dignity and pride, and to share the freedom we now enjoy.

Now the powers that be talk about the special needs of the African/Caribbean people.  This indeed is evading the issue in one more attempt to pretend they are doing something, but the end product is to make us believe nothing can be achieved because of our own inadequacy and inability.  This is sheer nonsensical hypocrisy, used so often it is now outmoded.

We are aware many of the indigenous people of this country do not forget our past and are quite prepared to give us a helping hand along the way.  Please do not turn your back but stretch your hand and grip theirs as tight as you can, so that all of us can work in co-operation once again for our survival.

The isolationist attitude of the African and Caribbean people is as a result of the racism perpetrated by the white working class people of this country. When their black so called brothers arrived on these shores in quantity around the 1940s and 1950s, it was made clear to us by their racist attitude that we were not accepted, all means of social activities were closed to us, there were no go areas everywhere.  The Dance Halls and the Working Men’s Clubs closed their doors to us.  Every black person will tell you about the racism that they faced at that time.

We were afraid to walk the streets, afraid to enter any buildings or public places knowing fully well we could be turned away.

Oh what a welcome, our Mother Country, instead of stretching their hands to help us, as we helped them, were now ready to turn their backs to our plight and predicament.

Abusive, physical and mental attacks upon black people in the streets and in their home is not something new.  The powers that be and the media are now playing the well known hypocritical game of washing their hands,  as Pontous Pilot did in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

We have always been under attack and will continue to be as long as the politicians see such attacks serve their purpose.  We cannot rely on the judiciary for our protection, we never could.  In the early days when we were attacked battered and bruised sometimes with blood streaming from our bodies,wounds inflicted by our attackers.  When the Police arrived on the scene the white hoodlums went free, while the innocent blacks are arrested and incarcerated.  This is still happening today.

We no longer live in the flea and white louse infested ‘Salvation Army Hostels’ and ‘Rhoton houses’, as we did in the 1940’s and 50’s, we now live on Council Estates and own our own homes.  But we must never forget our history of living four in one room, with a gas stove on each landing of the 3 storey house, and black workers taking it in turn to take their shifts in the beds, with the night workers coming home, as the day workers are going out.

These are facts we have got to face because these are realities and unless we face realities we will not be in a position to make good what was wrong and is still wrong today.  There is no point looking at such important issues superficially, because unless you understand the real issues we cannot confront them.

Lets look at certain facts which are affecting us today, facts which have made such an imprint on our minds that we are even afraid to holiday in this country.  How can we forget being barred from every hotel throughout the land.  How can we forget being barred from entering most Public Houses.

No wonder we were forced into isolation where we had to create our own recreational activities.  Even when we try to entertain ourselves within the law, all the places which were hired out to people who wanted to create their own entertainment were denied to us, we became outcasts, we sank deeper into ourselves.

The Shubeen culture did not exist in the West Indies, but we were forced to adapt such a culture here, the house parties with loud music playing into the middle of the night did not do us any good, neither did it help race relations, if anything it destroyed racial harmony and created problems and hostility whipped up by the media, thereby further alienating the black community.

The loss of 2 generations of their young people by any people is an indictment not to the people themselves but to a society which permits the kind of environment which leads to the loss.  We believe the time has come for us to gather our wits and with the determination to correct the evil of racism, racism does not only affect the victims but destroys the perpetrator.

One must always remember that man is a product of society and society is a product of man, only we the people with good support and sincere intentions can cure the ills which exist today within our society.  Lets get together and work towards that aim and objective.