HISTORY THREAD : I am often asked why I identify with Britain so much and believe black people truly have a place here to call their own.

That’s because black people have lived in Britain, since most notably the 1500s. And no.. we weren’t shackled or beaten or slaves. 1/7

This also dispels claims by certain people on here that Moors were not black. Yes they were. Blackamoor was initially used to describe black people. 2/7 https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/hundreds-africans-tudor-england-none-slaves-black-tudors-miranda/amp/

The portrait above is dubbed: Portrait of a Moor by Jan Mostaert, early 16th century. 3/7

Or what about Dido Elizabeth Belle? A mixed race aristocrat in the 1700s? I’ve watched the film about her life 1 million times and it’s beautiful. 4/7

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/women-in-history/dido-belle/

I present to you Ignatius Sancho, the first black person to vote in 1774, because he bought his way out of slavery and became a wealthy celebrity. He was a composer and writer and vocal against slavery.

http://abolition.e2bn.org/people_30.html 
5/7

Or can we talk about John Edmonstone, who taught Darwin how to perform taxidermy?
6/7

https://www.history.co.uk/shows/not-what-you-thought-you-knew/articles/john-edmonstone-–-the-man-who-taught-darwin

The fact of the matter is, black people have an extensive history in England and it’s time radical far leftists stop trying to block out this particular bit of history.

Stop presenting Britain as evil and stop presenting black people as forever victims. We are not.

7/7

Now that’s not to say that racism wasn’t an issue, because it was. But let’s not pretend that there black British history isn’t vast and expansive. So don’t patronise when I say I’m proud to be British.

(And I have every right to do so)

This gives a more in depth look at what life was like for Black people in Britain in the 1500s. It’s further down. https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/29/tudor-english-black-not-slave-in-sight-miranda-kaufmann-history