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Africa and Britain: A Forgotten History: Freedom

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Africa and Britain: A Forgotten History - Freedom

13/10/2018 GMT

Freedom

Africa and Britain: A Forgotten History

BBC World News - Africa and Britain: A Forgotten History, Freedom

This landmark series challenges preconceptions about British history.

In the second part of his four-part series, historian David Olusoga explores the business of slavery and remembers the black sailors who fought for Britain at Trafalgar.

In the second part of his four-part series, historian David Olusoga explores the business of slavery and remembers the black sailors who fought for Britain at Trafalgar.
He also celebrates a Georgian boxing superstar and the men and women who crossed continents in pursuit of freedom.


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This landmark series presents a new history of Britain with black people written back into its pages and challenging preconceptions about British history.

This landmark series presents a new history of Britain with black people written back into its pages. Spanning from Roman times to the present, this documentary challenges our preconceptions about British history.
 
The history of black people in Britain is frequently reduced to the story of recent black settlement. But that is not where this extraordinary cross-continental relationship begins. Africa and Britain: A Forgotten History retells the story of black people in the UK and reclaims voices that have been silent for too long. This revelatory documentary delves through national archives and personal documents and travels to the United States, Jamaica, South Africa, Ghana and Sierra Leone. Forgotten art vaults are unlocked, official records are scoured and historic artefacts are revealed in a stark new light. Twenty Black History plaques, commemorating key historic moments, are unveiled to the public. 
Award-winning historian David Olusoga reaches back into Roman times, when the first black Africans were recorded in Britain. He meets the enslaved young African who was brought to Britain under the protection of Queen Victoria, explores the terrible legacy of slavery and explains how the world wars helped integrate black people into British life. 
African people have been a crucial part of British history for 2,000 years. Find out where their story really begins.

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