Part 7 shows how black homes were targeted by whites night after night. A man in the documentary recalls how white youngsters threw bottles of petrol through blacks windows in order to cause a fire. This shocked me because these black people did not offend these whites in any way yet they intend on killing them. Oswald Mosley started the anti-immigration movement, he same the Notting Hill riots as a way to launch his political career. Mosley caused the streets to become a very dangerous place for blacks. The white people that opposed Mosley found it extremely hard to help blacks or speak out against him because he in turn would taunt them as at that that he was indeed a very powerful and influential being. However, Britain did finally come to realise how bad this segregation was and how it caused a negative impact on society. Britain began to finally see a change as a group of youths were sentenced to four years due to the role they played within the riots.
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Windrush Part 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYNfi4YyEp0&feature=related
This part shows how the black citizens were now able to buy houses, which caused the whites to ponder on how this happened and where they could have possibly gained the money from. Resentment towards blacks increased as racial hostility was accompanied by violence; every time on a white person saw a black on the street they were likely to fight them. If there was a white woman and black man together in public the woman would be beaten. This made me feel quite sad as to how people would discriminate against blacks solely because of their colour and how ignorant they were in those times, as nowadays things have drastically changed because everyone has equal rights. I realised that these black West-Indians were very strong emotionally, physically, mentally etc to endure all these hardships. This moment of time an age of 'tremendous cruelty against blacks' and the blacks no longer endured they began to fight back as they felt they were not appreciated for the work they have been doing.
This part shows how the black citizens were now able to buy houses, which caused the whites to ponder on how this happened and where they could have possibly gained the money from. Resentment towards blacks increased as racial hostility was accompanied by violence; every time on a white person saw a black on the street they were likely to fight them. If there was a white woman and black man together in public the woman would be beaten. This made me feel quite sad as to how people would discriminate against blacks solely because of their colour and how ignorant they were in those times, as nowadays things have drastically changed because everyone has equal rights. I realised that these black West-Indians were very strong emotionally, physically, mentally etc to endure all these hardships. This moment of time an age of 'tremendous cruelty against blacks' and the blacks no longer endured they began to fight back as they felt they were not appreciated for the work they have been doing.
Windrush Part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jayl87RAv98&feature=related
Part 5 of this documentary portrays how the young West Indians found solace in their own clubs. Also, it shows the tribulations faced by interracial couples, which aroused hostility among the white citizens. It shows how unequal blacks were to whites as black men would be insulted and abused if they were seen with a white lady as 'No decent girl would want to Be seen with one of them'. In the 1950's the rate of immigration rose and likewise so did the discrimination of black people within the British society. It was very difficult for black people to get a room due to their colour as landlords would fear that welcoming a black person into their home would offend their tenants.
Windrush Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CyADD0ARLo&feature=related
Part 4 of this documentary is showing the Caribbeans journey to England, most of them were surprised at the state of the country on their arrival as it did not match their expectations. A person within the documentary states that they were 'surprised of people's ignorance of the West Indians.' In accordance to the documentary it appears to me that the West Indians were very friendly citizens particularly to the British as the woman states that they would say 'Good morning' to their white neighbours but they would not receive any reply from them. Therefore, from this it seems that there were cultural differences between the whites and the West Indians as the West Indians were taught/brought up to respect others; however the white citizens may not have appreciated that as it was in their nature not to talk to strangers. It was as if the British people were just using the West Indians for their work (during the war) because after World War Two their attitudes towards them drastically changed. Which resulted in the West Indians feeling lonely and isolated as they were not prepared to be treated in this way and for them to see another fellow black person was such a good feeling as they knew they were not alone.
Part 4 of this documentary is showing the Caribbeans journey to England, most of them were surprised at the state of the country on their arrival as it did not match their expectations. A person within the documentary states that they were 'surprised of people's ignorance of the West Indians.' In accordance to the documentary it appears to me that the West Indians were very friendly citizens particularly to the British as the woman states that they would say 'Good morning' to their white neighbours but they would not receive any reply from them. Therefore, from this it seems that there were cultural differences between the whites and the West Indians as the West Indians were taught/brought up to respect others; however the white citizens may not have appreciated that as it was in their nature not to talk to strangers. It was as if the British people were just using the West Indians for their work (during the war) because after World War Two their attitudes towards them drastically changed. Which resulted in the West Indians feeling lonely and isolated as they were not prepared to be treated in this way and for them to see another fellow black person was such a good feeling as they knew they were not alone.
Winrush Part 3
This part of the documentary shows the Windrush bringing 500 Jamaicans over to Britain. When these Jamaicans arrived many of them were uncertain of jobs, where they were going to live and most of them did not know what they was going to do. So, even though a huge amount of them were desperate to come over to Britain as they believed the conditions would be better their survival was uncertain. These Jamaicans were placed in a shelter but as soon as they received work they had to leave. Britain needed labour and many Caribbeans were desperate for jobs so they in turn took them, It also seemed to me that the Caribbeans were indeed very significant to the British people as Enoch Powell went all the way to the Caribbean to find nurses. A large amount of these Caribbean citizens believed that England was such a beautiful country and place, however, what they saw on arriving there was totally different from what they initially thought.
Windrush Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-3x3aPtPfc&feature=related
This part of the documentary looks into the West Indians fight in the Second World War. The West Indians also became popular and well-known as musicians and singers. However, when Hitler was defeated (at the end of the Second World War) British views towards the West Indians changed, as someone within the documentary recalls 'Isn't about time they went back to their own country!' This clearly showed that British citizens clearly did not want the West Indians as they had paid their dues and they did not appreciate their presence any longer. Though, many West Indians were desperate to come back to Britain after they flew back to their own country (after ww2). So many West Indians had the opportunity to fly over to Britain on a one way ticket as the economic conditions in their native country were bad.
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Windrush Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh8SeGmzai4
The first part of the clip starts off with Black prominent figures, such as athletes, footballers. These Black British sports people are shown winning in their various fields as we see the Footballer scoring a goal and the athlete who seems to have won a sporting event for Great Britain. This lays an emphasis on Black achievement. Secondly, Black achievement is implied as we see a Black British group called 'Eternal' performing 'Angel of Mine' and also Trevor McDonald who was the first Black newsreader in the U.K., this shows the significance of Black Britain's in society. 'Britain today without these faces would be hard to imagine'. This suggests the these Black Britain's played a major and vital role in making Britain what it is today. The documentary also shows that half a million people from the West Indies came over to the U.K. and here the various speakers within the documentary talk about their experience on arriving in Britain. "Rooms for rent..No 'n******!" This portrays the harsh reality and lifestyle for Black people and how they felt unwelcome and did not feel part of the society. The west Indian citizens seems to have changed the country in a positive way as a man says 'we brought music, life, colour' which shows that the West Indians influenced the British way of life. Connie Mark says that 'they were taught to respect the Royal Family' and that 'they were brought up as British'. Therefore, from this it is percieved that the West Indians viewed themselves as British but the 'real' British citizens felt otherwise (due to their discrimination against West Indians through derogatory language and race riots etc). The West Indians were told to 'Fight for the mother land' which shows that they had a duty/a part to play to help Britain during the Second World War.
The first part of the clip starts off with Black prominent figures, such as athletes, footballers. These Black British sports people are shown winning in their various fields as we see the Footballer scoring a goal and the athlete who seems to have won a sporting event for Great Britain. This lays an emphasis on Black achievement. Secondly, Black achievement is implied as we see a Black British group called 'Eternal' performing 'Angel of Mine' and also Trevor McDonald who was the first Black newsreader in the U.K., this shows the significance of Black Britain's in society. 'Britain today without these faces would be hard to imagine'. This suggests the these Black Britain's played a major and vital role in making Britain what it is today. The documentary also shows that half a million people from the West Indies came over to the U.K. and here the various speakers within the documentary talk about their experience on arriving in Britain. "Rooms for rent..No 'n******!" This portrays the harsh reality and lifestyle for Black people and how they felt unwelcome and did not feel part of the society. The west Indian citizens seems to have changed the country in a positive way as a man says 'we brought music, life, colour' which shows that the West Indians influenced the British way of life. Connie Mark says that 'they were taught to respect the Royal Family' and that 'they were brought up as British'. Therefore, from this it is percieved that the West Indians viewed themselves as British but the 'real' British citizens felt otherwise (due to their discrimination against West Indians through derogatory language and race riots etc). The West Indians were told to 'Fight for the mother land' which shows that they had a duty/a part to play to help Britain during the Second World War.
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