History Extra podcast Britain and the Caribbean: from slavery to Black Lives Matter
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Aug 24, 2025 Imaobong Umoren, an Associate Professor of International History at the London School of Economics and author of *Empire Without End*, discusses Britain's intricate history with the Caribbean. She emphasizes the importance of understanding colonialism and racism not just during slavery but from the 16th century to today. The conversation links past injustices to present movements like Black Lives Matter. Umoren highlights Caribbean resilience post-World Wars and the unrecognized contributions of enslaved women and activists in the fight against racial hierarchies.
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2020 Sparked A Longer Historical View
- Imaobong Umoren links the 2020 Black Lives Matter moment to a need for longer historical perspective on anti-Black racism in Britain.
- She argues class and empire must be considered together to understand contemporary racism.
Race Was Shaped Early In The Caribbean
- Umoren argues Britain’s early Caribbean contact in the 1600s shaped the very concept of race through laws like the Barbados Slave Code.
- Tracing those origins helps explain continuities and changes in racism over time.
Caribbean Ideas Traveled Across Empires
- The Caribbean became a testing ground for constructing race and racism that influenced the British Empire, the US, and Latin America.
- Developments there shaped anti-Black racism across the Black Atlantic and beyond.
