Big up yourself, good topic we need more because there is no community, just weed, magnum, supermalt, jollof and vibes.

No. Self hatred and hatred of each other is strong though!

No community just an online present and party’s.

Black unity is only found when the group is basically homogeneous. The only black ethnic group that welcomed others are foundational black Americans. I’m from the uk, I’m Ghanaian and carribean people (namely Jamaican) made sure to let us know that we weren’t the same. Not saying good or bad, just saying that’s how it was, not going to pretend it was different.

The answer is no , it’s better to fly out

Black Unity is hard when we are diverse.... Diversity makes it hard to build on a common interest

Hi I'm in my late twenties and I'm a black man born and still living in England (grandparents are Jamaicans). Personally, it has never really made sense to consider myself as part of a 'black' community in this country, let alone think it actually exists. There's only communities based on certain cultural heritages that are distinct from one another, and yet I have little interest in being a part of that as well. I live by no sense of obligation or perhaps covert contract (I'm paraphrasing) to the 'black community'. For me due to my specific experiences growing up from childhood into adulthood, considering myself as apart of the BC would ignore and perhaps betray all the important non black people whom I've also been in community with! I only care about common interests, values, and mutual respect, not race. My interest in the concept of identifying with 'blackness' also happened to collapse, one of many reasons being that scientific research demonstrates the fact that race isnt biological/real (the idea of all black people being the same is a delusion); race is only real because of our social belief in it and the consequences as a result.

The thing is, Africans look down on Caribbeans and I have heard from African Americans that they do the same over there, so there is always going to be a divide where one group thinks they are better than the other.

Black or African? Nobody in Africa calls themselves black. They identify by their ethnicity and clan or tribe.

As a Black American descendant of slavery I just want to say that I have no comment but I am happy to have came across this conversation. My eyes have been opened and I am looking forward to seeing your other videos around black British issues.

Caribbeans are more community based than the other african groups and they are more accepting than others like you said. Since the Caribbean population is dying, black British culture is dying. Those new immigrants are very to themselves

Is there a Black British Community? You need to do a series of videos interviewing a broad spectrum of black people in the UK to truly answer that question.

Yeah I'm from Zimbabwe and I agree with you. I been here since 2006 and it's way different now. Places like Milton Keynes are a bit different with a larger Zimbabwean community... Great content

Love your content!!

I’m writing this without having watched any of the video.. the answer is no

Ely, great video once again. There is a black community now, but it is still very young in terms of how we navigate our relationship with each other. However, Ely I disagree, back in the days Africans received a lot of hostility from our Caribbean people. I have to say our Caribbean brothers and sisters did not do what needed to be done to establish a solid black British community because they were busy chasing whiteness and white acceptance. Most successful Caribbean man I know married outside their race, which made building a solid black community difficult.

There is no black community, neither is there any sense of unity amongst black people here in the UK and that's why Asians are ahead of us in terms of collective wealth, I just googled Jean Adebambo she was indeed a wonderful singer , it says in her bio that she took her own life, that is really really sad, may her soul rest in peace. I think you should do a video on depression in the black UK community as I believe that may have been a contributing factor to her leaving us so prematurely.

Another excellent content, subscribed and following.

Watching Supacel, A series by Africans, It's hard not to notice the impact, Jamaican/West Indian culture has in Britain. People forget how small the English speaking caribbean is, Less than 6 million people.

I came across your channel a couple of days ago and clicked as you look very similar a close friend of mine so I was intrigued, and I've got to say, your content is very high quality and very well researched and presented. I've shared with my mother and brother and they both agree, and this video here was very good. What helps me/us connect is that we also spent many years in the same places like Hackney, Leyton, and Walthamstow in the 80's and 90's too 🤝🏾

I think you've opened the door to a bigger conversation that us Americans should be having ourselves. African immigrants are becoming a larger share of our population and some people have seen a decline in our coheason. This declining unity has resulted in a push to distinguish between Foundational Black Americans and African immigrants. It's both frustrating and sad, because other ethnic groups like Asians have done the opposite. Yes, we have different cultures and come from different starting points, but how do we maintain economic and political unity? That's my biggest concern.

It was the struggle that kept us black brits together back in the day, and yes, most were Jamaican, Antiguan and other west indians. My dad came here from Sierra Leone in the late 40s, and my mum from Puerto Rico soon after. But the black community today are very different in culture and views. I grew up in Hackney in the 80s and 90s, so I fully agree.

The numbers changed as black carribeans mixed out in large numbers.

Racism in Britain is very subtle, has several layers and can be complex. Unlike in America, swathes of Blacks in England can go through life (recently at least) without experiencing any or hardly any significant Racism. I remember my Army days, enjoyed it, but there were no Black officers, no black guards at Buckingham Palace etc, the list is endless. Look at the treatment meted out to Black footballers: you are one of us, but make a mistake, and you are immediately treated differently. Blacks in Britain do not seem to have the confidence, drive, and ambitiousnes of Black Americans. The Asian community in Britain has sailed past us in achievements. We are not doing badly, but not doing too well. I cannot put my finger on what our problem is, Racism is an obstacle, especially the type in Britain, but should it really be allowed in this day and age, to stop us from making a mark in Britain?

The expectation now is "community" is "ready made" for you to walk into. It's never been the case anywhere.

Even Black people from a particular country do not always form a single community. My generation of Zimbabweans who came at the turn of the century appear to have little in common with the Zimbabweans who have come over the last few years. This may have to do with having different experiences. Fact as well, many Black people are marrying White British, and that too will have an impact on that sense of identity.

There is but it's mad toxic, lack of accountabiliy and support. Sorry mainly from the carribean side, africans have their moments at too but find the prior the most toxic of communities, but africans show more solidarity in my experiance. I used to love going into a black businessess and supporting, but most of the time they look fed up to see you and leave you with the worst service, I stopped that nonsense now.

This is a conversation that needs to be had. It needs to be discussed on a bigger platform. I was born in the early 70s and have seen the change. Respect, brother, for addressing this issue.

There was, I saw it slowly die in the noughties. I was born and raised in South London, Brixton. Clapham, Stockwell, Stretham were my home but white capital, poor environmental condtitions and social discord let it fall apart. Now I am not so certain.

Living in London during the 90s, I first experienced black on black hatred. The girls who lived next to me were of Caribbean descent, and they had a real problem with the black people of African descent, especially with the Somalia's that had only just come over in some number. I have to say, being a white Irish guy who wasn't long off the boat myself, this shocked me and also taught me a valuable lesson. The world is not always what we think it is or what we want it to be, and bigotry and prejudice are universal in this world. It's up to us to change it, but to do so, we have to stop this rush to label everyone and put us all in a certain box.

The black race to me is very broken or damaged by race issues over the centuries

I'm a mixed of black and Indian, via St Lucia and Guyana. When I meet a black person from any part of Africa they come across racist, looking down at me based on my heritage. I stay away from the Pan-African mindset. I'm born and raised in Hackney and that's where I'm from. People from Nigeria Ghana and Kenya come across like racist white people, who haven't met anyone different.

Bro this is topic is easy I did not even have to finish the video No community bro

There were too many Black Communities, the Nigerians, other Africans, the Smallies (non-Jamaican Caribbeans), the Somalis, etc. Note, the "West Indian" Communities saw themselves as the indegenous Brits that tolerated "them Africans,them boo-boo"

Thanks so much for leading me to Jean Adebambo and to 'Paradise'. What a beautiful song by an equally beautiful lady.

I wish you continued mate ... It would be interesting to note the challenge in reestablishing a sense of community among Black people. Currently, there is a strong emphasis on highlighting the differences within the Black community, such as varied backgrounds and cultural experiences. This recognition of diversity among us might make it harder to foster a unified social community. Does this focus on our differences hinder the progress of becoming more communal as Black people?

Been watching a couple months now, 1st time commenting. Great content- now more than ever (esp as we enter a 2nd decade of austerity) we need to put tribalism aside and focus on unified group economics & politics- bcos the government (yes even Labour) are not going to help us. This is a critical time

The answer is maybe. I believe it's generational. For example, in the 90s, being African was often seen as a diss. Today, it's much more normalized and accepted. There is a noticeable shift between generations. There is a kind of Black British community, which becomes especially apparent when the community needs to rise up and defend its young. Is this community strong? Probably not. Is it weak? Yes. Can it be strengthened? Maybe. I see a community because there's a shared language, identity, and common struggle. Those outside this community can clearly see it and often want to be part of it. In many ways, a community is like any household-it has its own issues and skeletons.

The answer is NO. I am half "black" via my father and I can say NO. There are "black" sub cultures Somali, Nigerian, etc.

The reason why there is no community is because we aren’t one homogenised group of people with a shared history like African Americans. Their culture, unity are products of their unique experiences with slavery in one country and migration in droves across one country . We need to stop looking at their blueprint and what they are doing as a benchmark for our own sense of community as our experiences with slavery, colonialism are completely different and should be viewed as such. we don’t need to force a homogenised sense of blackness on ourselves when it’s not necessary and maybe try to unpack the division within our countries/ communities. Rather than doing some umbrella ting

A few years ago, I watched a mini series called Small Axe. Beautifully made. I knew a little about Black Britts but Small Axe opened me up to their history and essence. It helped me to see the community.

The answer is no. Mainly because black Caribbean and black African are very different in terms of culture. The way we view and do things is very different. Also, the black population across the United Kingdom outside of London is very small. I finished school back in 2012 in a small town called Stowmarket outside Ipswich. I was one of 4 black people in my year. Now living in Plymouth, Devon, The black population here is also less than 1%.

Really interesting as usual. You need a podcast or phone in to flesh these things out! I think the transition from a black community to a black population is partly to be expected if we don't culturally look at how we maintain it. In your home ownership video you talked about how little property black britain owns. How can we expect a community if we can't control being together? It's about the bricks and mortar of having homes and businesses in a focused area. I think that follows through to looking at skills and resources that directly support that community. Again if they are not provided by the community itself (and I don't mean government) then there is not inherent drive to support itself.

Racism is no longer the glue that binds different black ethnic groups together. As the saying goes , "There's safety in numbers". As you rightly pointed out the exponential growth of the West African community means that they no longer feel the need to identify with and assimilate with Afro-caribbeans and the Somali community is also quite sizeable now. Further, you now have the 'new black' of Afro Latino's who stay within Spanish speaking communities. The economic effects of late stage capitalism also has an impact on social stratification as does tribalism. Now everyone only cares about themselves and their social group. These divisions will only get worse until the Brown shirts start marching again (e.g., the rise of fascism).

My answer would be no. We're a small % of the population and we're too spread out around the country. Then you throw the different religions into the mix which separates us even more.

The Caribbean community is what laid the foundation for Black Britain

A big part of the reason why there will never be a cohesive Black British community is that "outsiders" are allowed into what should be primarily black spaces. Reading through these comments I see plenty of white people inserting themselves into the conversation suggesting that race is unimportant and that it's better to be British first, never mind the old "divide and conquer" move of pointing out that black people from different places have very little in common. That's not for them to declare.

You can't have a community based on colour.

Growing up with an African name in the 90s early 00s the only people in a multi ethnic school who ever took the p of our names or culture were kids of Caribbean culture. They also took the micky out of our work ethic and called us nerds. Sadly but predictably nearly all of them got left behind whilst the rest of us moved forward and succeeded in life. There’s an intrinsic self loathing in black Caribbean culture that rewards low standards and foolishness and is offended by basically anything to do with black power and positivity. Not by accident - it’s imperial conditioning

I'm half Jamaican half Zambian born 1986 from East London. From my school days I remember there being a definate divide between black Caribbean and black African. I could play both sides :D From what I saw back then, being African was seen more of an insult, and if you was from the Carribean especially Jamaica, it was more celebrated. Once white people started tuning into Jamaican pop culture people from the Carribean where more socially accepted. The slang, style of dress, the food especially the MUSIC. You would see white people with dreads and start making music bands. I would agree with most of the comments here there is more sub cultures that stick within themselves. There was definitely a lot of banter between the two sides but it wasn't like an all out war or anything, think of it more friendly football banter from two opposing teams which really should be on the same side. I checked out mentally from England around 2004, and then left finally in 2016 so I would say I am detached from everything. Not sure how much has changed? Good video! Subscribed.

I think there are undeniable bonds and cultural similarities between black British communities but I don’t think lumping us all into one works because we’ve got vastly different experiences and perceptions on things, but I can recognise the basic similarities we share, and tbh things have changed, whereas in the old days people had to stick together and there was a lot of racism and whatnot, I think there was a lot more camaraderie back then, now everyone’s splitting up and identifying with different things.

You forget that immigration being allowed into the country was DELIBRATELY curtailed for whatever reason, so the caribbean population in the Uk reduced. The issue now appears to be Gen Z UK africans APPEAR to not be as welcoming as the cariibeans had previously been. I wonder if that is the root of the problems we hear happening now between African americans and black immigrants into the US?

Super interesting video. I don’t think there is a cohesive Black British community. I think people identify as Black African or Caribbean but from specific countries. I am Somali, and my family came here in 1989. I grew up in North London, where all my childhood friends were Caribbean. I remember their parents and grandparents always calling me “coolie,” no matter how many times I told them I was Black African! I personally never felt like I was considered part of the Black community there. I always felt too different, if that makes sense. When I was around 13 or 14, I suddenly felt a strong yearning to connect with other Somalis. It felt like a piece of me was missing. I loved speaking my mother tongue and having friends who understood the nuances of my culture, food, banter, music, and our love of proverbs. I personally feel Somali and African. I don’t necessarily feel British, but I think that is because of the circumstances under which my family came here. As you mentioned in the video, we didn’t choose to leave home but were forced to flee for safety. I believe this is also the reason why we are generally very insular as a community. The positives of that are we have a strong sense of community. I am happy to drive an hour to the other side of London to ensure I buy from a Somali business.

Where as, everybody had access To the chilled out Caribbean community, the Africans brought their Seperatism with them. Back in the day, African parents would Denigrate Jamaicans and tell their kids to keep away for Any number of reasons. Back then Every Caribbean Black was a "Jamaican". Another world.

Very interesting conversation. I'm a 70's baby & grew up in a community that was rich with culture from Jamaica, Nigeria, ghana, etc.. I agree with you in relation to the lack of togetherness. Your last statement when you mention that people used to hail each other up in hackney & leyton, I'm originally from tottenham so I know what your saying, however we live in a different time, so much has changed. A lot of these new immigrants have been through a lot back home & over here. What once has now become, what was & with the way how society is people are much more aggressive & not trusting, so I think people just keep to themselves unfortunately. I would love to see our people be together as 1, there is so much division.

There is a Black British community, that new immigrants choose not to be part of it doesn't negate it's existence. It would be like saying there's no such thing as Black British culture.

Good points you discussed Ely. I don’t think there is a Black British Community. I think we all group ourselves by the colour of melanin in our skin, but apart from that we have no other lasting ties. I think there may be fragmented communities of Somalians, Caribbeans, Igbo, Yoruba, etc all over the UK, but very fragmented and small in numbers. The term black, in a community building sense can unify us, but seldomly keeps unification together. Our histories, religions and outlooks on life foster too many differences. I think we can only create a black British community if we are united with common goals and aspirations we wish to achieve together like financial or economic freedom. An outlook that we wish to collectively share and work towards over time, decades perhaps until the mission is complete. We need strong reasons for us to sit down together, on a county or national level and work together. We need our equivalent of the Berlin Conference or something along those line. That will never happen, but it’s good to have aspirations.

They are united in hating eachother

I think Black British Community as a term is a bit of a misnomer. Reflecting you early experience of being here, then the Black community was the Caribbean community. Caribbeans are dying out and their aspiration to integrate, along with state oppression, has impacted terribly on this community and it's British-born descendants, whom are fractured.

A great topic, I have so much to say about this. However, I will highlight the most impactful… We no longer have a common understanding of who our enemy is. Hear me out… We have always been a diverse people who united in times past by enduring shared struggles and understanding who our enemy is and the need to unify. Now… a few masters degrees and job promotions later, we are integrated so deeply into western society, or with the ‘enemy’ that our community has affectively dissolved into nothing. We have fallen foul to trusting in the so called ‘western democracy’ and ‘law and order’, and lulled into a false sense of security, to a point where we don’t think we need each other. First step to unifying, is actually recognising that we have ‘enemies’ who continue to systematically plot against us… …we need to recognise that are all we got… …lastly, and I know many with struggle with this… but we need to hear this. The moment they have the chance to slap yokes of iron around our neck again, they will jump at the chance. Unfortunately, many of us won’t even conceive that because of positive performance review at work. We have settled for crumbs and the bliss of ignorance, which is propelled by White Jesus and the Christian Church. It’s a shame, but true.

It's a very complex subject and the answer can vary based on geography, context, generation and class. I would start by saying there isn't a cohesive black community in the UK because the concept of blackness wasn't conceived by so called black people in the first place. Said that, the black community does not exist in the UK but the concept of blackness does. And it is explored, accepted and shared in many different ways. Once so called black people will take ownership of their social structures, then this conversation can seriously start. For now I see individualism, contradictions and the so-called British dream; yet also longing for something more otherwise most of us wouldn't be here under your video.

The black children of today think English. They are mainly living a life style. There was a lot of black business but we gave up under pressure or sold out to the east Asia. Some time it looks like everyone like the Nigerian and east Asians have just pushed us Caribbean aside because the kids don't fancy it. They just want a nice car a nice phone not even worried about buying a property.

As someone of Nigerian heritage, I have always appreciated the struggles of the children of the windrush generation as it made life easier for me as a black person. Unlike you, i never there was a black community, just a Caribbean one. I watched cricket and listened to listened to lovers rock just to hang out with other black people. As the population of Nigerians and Ghanaian around me grew, I didn't have to anymore. I still love Aki and Salt fish though.

I think there’s another layer to this discussion that could have been touched on - I feel there’s more of a black British community among black people that are British born and grew up here. While people are still connected to their African or Caribbean routes through grandparents or parents there’s still a more cohesive culture and community among this group in my opinion, particularly the younger generation.

When we have an enemy, we come together. When we get comfortable, our unity falls apart. Sad really.

I’d definitely say yes when i was younger but unfortunately it fizzles out as I’m getting older and I think that’s the same for most people

I would like to know , so far the black people I know they don't look out for each other .

Jamaicans inparticular nearly bred out the white working class innercities in the 80s and 90s lol I'm a white man with a mixed race daughter and granddaughter. They hardly ever played a role in their kids lives, let alone paid a penny towards their upkeep. What they despised, and they had a lot of reason to back in the day, they left half black fatherless British kids despising them just as much.

In the beginning there was a black community. We had a lot in common to nourish that community but now there is to much division so little that connects us as a strong whole. We have been divided in such away that the divisors look like us with gang culture up to toxic levels we have never experienced before among ourselves. Now we don't trust each other. So we have seemingly been conquered by the hidden instigators but if we actively breakdown some of these divisions we can put the community back together again.

When we Somalis first came into England we assumed that our black brothers would welcome us....instead they looked down on us and looked up to white people...this hurt our African pride and our disappointment in the lack of welcoming arms has hurt them now...once a refugee with no English language we adapted and instead of connecting on colour those we shared religion instead reached out and build bridges...these are the bangladeshis, pakistanis, afghanistanis, morrocans, turkish etc...the lesson we were taught was that real connection transcends appearance and cultural and religious similarities were more sincere. We thrived ever since...we learned English and build businesses....we own property and we stumbled into middle class and we even make music now and we have gained the respect of the white population not by looking up to them in some need to be accepted but by standing proudly as Africans we forgive those who treated us poorly and we lift up other black people and as a result many black Christians have converted to Islam. Our black brothers used to call us big heads...lets not pretend like that didnt happen and crusty lips...instead of passing us the Vaseline they made us punchline jokes....We didnt call our kids Mike, John and Tom to try and fit like many African and Caribbean countries did...we kept our native names and now our strong community is proof that we didn't falter and they regret not standing shoulder to shoulder with a community that would have been an asset....and still we forgive them not because they are black like us but because we are Muslims.

Fantastic video you were eloquent, and senstive wirh your approach which is what i really appreciated

Hello Eli this is former Detroitreggae it's nice to see that you are still here posting after all this time

No, and here's my hypothesis on why: 1 - We don't have a united Black upper class to aspire to join. Look at any successful Black British athlete and see where they live. It's among non-Blacks. Compare that to the United States, where you have whole upper-class Black neighbourhoods. 2 - African-Americans share a united history to be proud of. The descendants of slaves from whom the country was built upon, who eventually fought for their freedoms and influenced American culture in no small way, rising little by little all the way to the White House. What's the common descent of most Black Brits? Former colonies of the empire. Nothing worth uniting over!

Not definitely yes although I think it’s becoming more established.Progressing throughout our time there will be more black people with a hybrid of cultures adopting to British ways of life, meaning that there will be more of a sense of belonging and unification. I’m starting to see some elements of this among the younger generations with the creative spaces.

Not black myself so probably won't understand the community feel. I'm really close mates with a Cameroonian-Brit in the 90s, grew up together and I consider him a friend for life. Maybe it was just because Shrewsbury is pretty small but I never saw him nor his family seek out the wider black community that exists(ed?) in Wolverhampton. They mostly bonded with people at Church and in the neighbourhood. He married a Nigerian-Brit in 2017 he met at Uni. Only places I've seen what I'd describe as a Black Community is London and Wolverhampton. Might be elsewhere as well but i don't think its really sought after anymore.

The assertion that refugees are not educated people is misguided. Refugees flee their countries due to war and persecution, often arriving with little to no possessions and lacking the financial resources to pursue higher education. This contrasts with individuals from stable countries who have the means and opportunities to attend university. The Somali community, for instance, has made significant strides in education since resettling. Prior to the war, many Somalis were well-educated and thriving, with some even studying abroad. Using a single example to undermine a community is unfair and overlooks the broader context of displacement and its challenges. Moreover, it’s worth questioning why so many educated Africans feel compelled to relocate to other countries, often ending up in low-income areas despite their qualifications. Many West Africans, despite being educated, have had to take on jobs like cleaning and caregiving. It's also important to recognize that during the Somali conflict, individuals from other African nations exploited the situation, seeking asylum under the guise of being Somali, thereby inflating the refugee statistics. It's disappointing that in 2024, some still choose to single out Somalia, a nation ravaged by war, as an easy target for criticism. Similar attention should be given to refugees from other countries, such as Sudan or Ethiopia, who also faced turmoil and displacement This is why there is no strong black community! Always finding cheap shots! I rather stick to those are accepting regardless of their race!

Bernie Grant and Diana Abbott are from the Caribbean 🤔

Compared to what I saw amd what some of us saw in 60s,70s,80s and early 90s the answer is NO.

I think this is a great discussion, the idea that there is a single black community is part of the issue although I have friends who live in different parts of the U.K. some of the things that unites them with black people in their locality I know nothing about. Culture and community is more than being black. I have had numerous discussions with my parents generation on this topic and yes there was much more of a sense of community than there is now but society had changed beyond all recognition this is across the board. My white neighbour was talking about this only a few months ago. This is the case in the Caribbean and US and across Africa. I visited Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and those communities have changed too. My Mom will tell you she doesn’t recognise where she grew up in Jamaica in terms of community and Mom loves Jamaica to her heart. In the north of the U.K. where I live I will always recognise, say hi to any black person but especially elders. I saw a woman standing outside Tesco recently. I don’t know her but I felt to ask if she was OK she told me she was waiting for her family and thanked me. I would do that to anyone but I am more inclined when I see the person is black. Ultimately we are the ones who can do something to change things. We have the power to highlight the positives, to build on what our parents/ grandparents generation established.

My parents were from the Caribbean a and The United States. I was born and bred in Oxford during the 60s. From the 1950s to the 1990s there was a strong Caribbean community but it is disappearing quickly. However, there is now a large number of African people living here.

Most East Africans don’t consider themselves African much less black

👍🏿👍🏿 Thank you for the introduction to Jean Adebambo.

Interesting. I have a Nigerian friend who went to a Black community group at uni (in the UK) but afterwards he said he didn't really feel it was for him. Africa alone is so diverse, I once heard Nigeria has as many languages as all of Europe.

Good video. Maybe another video about the lack of black students in UK universities?

I think we are still forming a community. I think it will come from the young people. African Americans are more established and have institutions and a middle class Black people who can support these NAACP type bodies that can support the Black community in the US. This and future generations will create these bodies and they will do it for all Black people not just those of their same heritage. Ie Stormzy isn't sending only Ghanaians to Cambridge uni. Also as we learn more about our shared experience and connections we will become more unified.

The black community has gone. Not sure why but it has!!!

Interesting video, id definitley say that theres definitely a divide between the african and Caribbean communities. You can see this in churches especially.

This is such an important question. I grew up in the 60's and my experience is that the unity that we are forced to gravitate towards "Black unity" is a double edge sword. In the first instance my parents arrived as Vincentians only becoming simply Black in the UK. The negative experience of being given a descriptor that has a value and meaning that was used to apply negative value could not be ignored. This has a consequence that we are then aligned by the experience of being subjected to discrimination on the optic grounds that melanin is foreign and equals less than. Oppression on these grounds does not a people make however the experience is nearly universal for all us ethnic Africans. I choose to relate to our common experience to overcome the crass oppression we continue to endure whilst marvelling at the Africa diaspora's diverse peoples, cultures and our dominance within Western cultures who need, take and use everything we bring yet continue to diminish who and what we are. Black unity is born out of protest and I hope in the future becomes less necessary than it has been required in the past just like the fantasy of race this needs to relegated to an unenlighted past✨🙏🏿

I’d be inclined to swap your ‘not really’ to we need to reconstruct, reorganise so we can say ‘yes’. There is little to nothing to be gained by the 3-5% identified as Black African/Caribbean in the U.K. fragmenting further in the face of an 80% white and 10% Asian blocks. Politics is largely about numbers and we need to construct and maximise a block that holds together as Black British ie people of ‘African Heritage’. Together we’re strong. Apart we’re canon fodder for greater and stronger social, economic and political ethnic currents that make up the diverse U.K. we live in. Me thinks.

There are two kinds of African diasporan communities in the world. Historical Diasporans and Recent Diasporans. The historical diaspornas are African descended people who have lived in non-African lands for centuries and formed unique ethnic communitty over time: FBA's, Gullah Geeches and Luisianna Creoles of USA, Garifunas of Central America, Sri Lankan Kaffirs, Siddis of India/Pakistan, Afro Brazilians, Afro Persians etc. Recent Diasporans are people who either migrated from or descended from immigrants that came from modern African nations post WW2 into Europe or US. Their identity shaped by the culture of their parents/grandparents. In context of black British unity. It's based on a template of black American unity but doesn't work in practice Due to the diversity and differences between the Recent diasporans communities in UK

NO ,I identify with my country of origin.Then African .

It's a shame our sense of community is not as strong. I was born in England to Caribbean parents but I consider the first layer of my identity as an African. Being black, we are descendants of Africans before we were Caribbean or English.

As black man in USA/United States I can't speak upon UK experience. I know here in the USA we use term black community as roots in some form of blackness (defined differently) and shared experience slavery, Jim Crow, basic foods, southern American roots, yet being a hybrid culture (for good or bad) and it sub grroups based on city state and regions or combinations. Like black people New York are different from New Orleans all they way black California, etc. Then there is a the question do black actually every hand a community. Maybe a needed discussion the internal colonialism theory. Peace

Agree with loads but there is a common misconception that we have only had blk communities since the windrush generation but that not true.Go Liverpool and you’ll see plenty of 5th,6th generation black peoples that have benn here since 1800s and very early1900s including myself.

I see the Black British people like I see white Americans White Americans don’t see themselves as a “community” because they’re a combination of people from different European countries But African Americans see kinship through the shared struggle from the days of slavery until now. They have a shared culture that they’ve cultivated for hundreds of years as a foundational group in America who’ve been here since before America even got its independence from Britain. Much longer than many white people have since many of them migrated to America later on In the UK Black people are a mixture of people with their own backstories. Caribbean people went through chattel slavery in their respective islands whereas Africans didn’t (as far as I know). And both groups arrived in the UK relatively recently In America there’s also a bit of a separation between African Americans and Black Caribbeans and Black Africans but maybe it might be more pronounced in the UK This video is very insightful. I was born in London and I’m the son of Caribbean parents who were amongst the Windrush generation… but we left in 81 and now live in NYC so I always assumed there was a Black community in the UK But now I understand things a little better. It’s a bit more complicated than I originally thought Cheers

I'm from an FBA lineage that goes back before 1790 census, I don't have any criticism for your video just came to say i enjoyed watching and learning from our cousins across the atlantic.

Keep them coming Ely

Why is that even a question??? You know the answer and the answer is NO!

Great video man. As a British Ugandan myself, who has been recently thinking about the wider black British community as a whole, I feel very fortunate to have stumbled across your channel ssebo 👊🏾 gonna go binge watch the rest of your videos right now

It looks as though the West Indian community may be observing something familiar to white Britons - succeeding arrivals of immigrants are not necessarily assimilating with communities already here, regardless of race, because there are other cultural and religious factors at play as well.