New Book

NEW FROM VERSO: The Making of the Black Working Class in Britain

16th Sep 2017

THE MAKING OF THE BLACK WORKING CLASS IN BRITAIN
BY RON RAMDIN
 
OUT NOW

“Well-written and presented with admirable clarity … scrupulously documented and written with dynamic flair … with almost every turn of the page the book breaks new ground.”
– Caryl Phillips, Author, Playwright, Essayist

In this pioneering history, Ron Ramdin traces the roots of Britain’s disadvantaged black working class.

https://www.versobooks.com/books/2476-the-making-of-the-black-working-class-in-britain

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From the development of a small black presence in the sixteenth century, through the colonial labour institutions of slavery, indentureship, and trade unionism, Ramdin expertly guides us through the stages of creation for a UK minority whose origins are often overlooked. He examines the emergence of a black radical ideology underpinning twentieth-century struggles against unemployment, racial attacks and workplace inequality, and delves into the murky realms of employer and trade union racism. First published in 1987, this revised edition includes a new introduction reflecting on events over the past four decades.

Ron Ramdin is a historian, biographer and novelist. His previous books include Paul Robeson: The Man and His Mission, The Other Middle Passage and From Chattel-slave to Wage-earner: History of Trade Unionism in Trinidad and Tobago.

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“This is a pioneering and valuable work of scholarship and interpretation.”

– New Society

“A major work of research that is certain to be thumbed through by scholars in the future.”

– West Indian News

“An important and timely contribution to British historiography.”

– Caribbean Times

“Ramdin’s contribution is unique.”

– Times Higher Education Supplement

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PAPERBACK: August 2017 / 656 pages / ISBN 9781786630650 / $29.95 / £19.99 / $39.99 (Canada)

ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN EBOOK