These shocking anecdotes, while tough to digest, are incredibly eye-opening.Īkala defines the discourse surrounding race in the UK as a ‘very British brand of racism’, which often entails denial and the belief that racial discrimination a problem of the past. In a bibliographical extract, he claims he was discouraged from feeling pride in both his intelligence and heritage, which placed a huge strain on his identity and even led to him being labelled as ‘special needs’ by teachers who couldn’t fathom the possibility of a successful poor, Black student. As the son of a Scottish mother and Jamaican father, he experienced severe discrimination, feeling hated at the hands of his grandfather, as well as facing racism at school from students and teachers alike. In this riveting book, Akala discusses the barriers he faced growing up as a mixed-race child in 1980s Britain. Akala, the multitalented activist and historian, most commonly known for his music and public speaking, shares his unapologetic perspective on racism, class and colonialism in his 2018 book, Natives. Akala takes a retrospective look on the history of the Empire to educate on the history of Black Britons and confront issues of discrimination and ruling class policy, overall causing us to question where it all began. Today, more than ever, it is imperative that we are educated on social issues and always challenging ourselves to be better informed. Natives provides a comprehensive summary of the issues faced by Black Britons. Becoming a better ally to marginalised communities requires an understanding of the circumstances that brought us here.

Book akala