Black British Women

Black British Woman is a term which has a racial link to it. Generally it has been often used to refer to any non-white British woman. This term was first used at the fag end of the British Empire, when numerous colonies gained independence and thereby created a new form of national identity. At that time this term was used mainly to describe those women from the former colonies of India, Africa, and the Caribbean or the New Commonwealth countries. Presently it defines a British woman with specifically African ancestral origins, who is identified as Black, African or African-Caribbean. Black British Women also emigrated from other countries like Brazil and the USA.

Black British women had the same aspirations as whites to combine work and family life, and were even more ambitious about their education and future career. Despite high ambitions and investment in education the black British women employees under 35 were experiencing severe penalties when they wanted to work.

This includes higher rate of unemployment, a lower ceiling than fellow white women and lower pay packets. Most of these black British women worked in a restricted range of sectors and jobs.  Most of the employers strongly agreed for employing black British women. Many of the young black British women in these groups reported that they had to deal with racism and sexism.

There are many different voices among Black British women they however speak of Black Feminism only. Though divided by language, religion, nationality, and culture, a new politics of solidarity became possible under these new relations of equivalence for the black British women. The black women’s movement in the year 1978 became a landmark in terms of an emerging Black British Feminist consciousness. It revealed the political agency of black women speaking different languages, religions, cultures and classes who consciously constructed a political based identity in response to exclusion of women experiences of racism.

Black British women’s coalitions such as South hall Black Sisters and Women against Fundamentalism have campaigned for black women’s rights since 1970s. These organizations demonstrate the value brought about by heterogeneity and conflict which opens a debate.

Many black British women have found their due place in the annals of history and fame. More and more are still storing their place in the field of literature, fashion entertainment, science and business but their plight continues to remain the same. They are the most unprivileged lot and to find their place they have to put in the extreme efforts, still they get lower income, sometime humiliation and face many other atrocities. When they become successful people praise them but at the hour of need they do not come forward to help them. This is the actual story of the black British woman of the present day. But this lot is marching ahead against all odds to find their sweet destiny. The war is on against the racism world over and specifically in Britain, but it will take time.  Meanwhile we should salute the courage of the Black British women.