"Black England: A Forgotten Georgian History" by Gerzina sheds light on a lesser-known chapter of British history. The book skillfully uncovers the lives of Black individuals in Georgian England, adding depth to the narrative of the era. Gerzina's research is commendable, though at times the storytelling could be more engaging. An informative read that contributes to a more inclusive understanding of the past.

A very important and interesting book with topics that often get left our of history. I really enjoyed learning from this book.

A really interesting look into what the history books don't tell you. Loads of people think that Black people didn't come to Englad until the Windrush generation however this book will turn that on its head.
A book for anyone who is interested in English history

The eighteenth century (or the period the book covers, from just before 1700 to 1837) was an eventful time, and Gerzina shows how Black people came to England first as companions and slaves, either to people who shipped them in or were given them, or with people who came back from the colonies. Later, after the American War of Independence, the British Government promised the Black people who had fought on their side their freedom and a life in Britain; naturally, they reneged on this, and a significant part of the book is dedicated to showing how they promptly panicked there were too many people coming over and hatched a plan to ship them off to Sierra Leone. Nice.

Well-researched and detailed chapters look at Black men and then women in Georgian England, picking out information from the biographies of some folk who were written about or wrote about themselves. Then there’s a long chapter on the court cases that ensued when slaves and servants complained about their treatment or escaped, one on the Sierra Leone experiment, and then one on the beginnings of the end of slavery, looking at whether the people we cast as the heroes of abolition were as clear-cut as we think (hint: they’re not).

The book does a good job of showing us that Black people have been here in Britain for many centuries and how the process of researching history can draw out some details but not all, showing us that class, race and gender intersect to blot some people out of the historical record forever. It’s clearly written although I did struggle a little with the amount of detail in the legal chapter: this could have been because it was hard to see in the e-book what was a quotation and what was the text. The published copy will have a new Foreword from Zadie Smith. A valuable (re-)addition to Black history.

My full review on my blog: https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2022/10/25/book-review-gretchen-gerzina-black-england/

This is both an important and well-researched work. It highlights the blind spots present in academics, especially since this is a reprint of a book first released in 1995, I think? British historians often like to overlook and ignore the UK's black history, so I genuinely think should be required reading for everyone.

I read a number of history books about England but it's the first time I read a history book about the Black community, who they were, and what were their stories.
it's fascinating read, there's some terrible truth and I learned a lot about these people. From plantations and slavery to professionals, there's a lot of different roles and people.
It's a very interesting read, well researched and never dry or boring.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

An excellent update to Gerzina's previous edition, and a hugely valuable addition to the scholarship uncovering the genuine variety and richness - and shame - of England's history.

This was a fascinating book covering the history of black people in Britain, specifically during the Georgian period, a time which saw the supposed end of slavery in Britain, although it took significantly longer for slaves in British colonies to be granted their freedom. It was interesting, thorough and very readable - a must read for anyone with an interest in this period of British history.

This was a fascinating history book that really rounded out my knowledge of British history. It was amazing to learn about the links between Britain and Africa through trade, slavery and travel that go back to Tudor times. I am interested in Black history but this often has an American slant, so for example it was great to learn about the first ideas and campaigns that led to British settlers founding Sierra Leone. I really liked learning about the sheer number of Black people there were is Britain by the 18th. Century, and the author did a good job balancing working class, everyday stories with the more famous figures. Without the knowledge of history like this, I don’t think you can make sense or race and racism in Britain today.
I first half more engaging than the second half, which went into great detail about the abolition of slavery in Britain, the court cases and the people involved, but it was good to learn about the real people behind these cases.
An essential part of British history.

First published in 1995 and now updated, Gretchen Gerzina's Black England is just as important as when it was first released. Reading a review copy in 2022 was the first time I had heard of this work, and it saddens me that I had not heard of it earlier. The stories, histories, and voices that make up this exemplary historical study should be taught in schools. I learned more in the few hours it took me to read this book than I have the rest of the year so far, perhaps even for years, and I read widely! So many of the names of the white figures here I knew facts about, but with very few exceptions, the black figures were all new to me. This should not be the case.

This is vital, important history. Its focus is centred on the 18th century more than any other - which is not surprising as black voices earlier than this have become lost to time, so it is only through others work that we know any names - but the narrative takes us from Elizabeth I's reign through to the abolition of the slave trade. It highlights the mass injustices black people suffered during these years, but also shows how some of the attitudes of those days remain into the present. To read that 18th century white Englishmen were afraid that the blacks were taking our jobs reminded me of our gutter press in the 21st century who stoke xenophobia using the same rhetoric. For reasons like this alone, works like this should be on the curriculum from an early age.

This is a magnificent work and I am extremely grateful to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC and to Gretchen Gerzina for updating this work and sharing it with us all.