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
