The book starts a long time ago, and a long way away - when humans evolved in Africa and journeyed out to populate the world. Then it focusses back in on Britain - and the very first people who settled here for good.

The book then journeys through the ages that most children will recognise - the Celts, the Romans, the Middle Ages (with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings), the Tudors & Stuarts, the Georgians & Victorians, the Industrial Revolution and the two World Wars, Windrush, and finally Black Lives Matter.

The difference between Brilliant Black British History and most other children’s books on British history is that Black people are included in the book, they share in the history.

What I discovered, while doing my research, is that Black people have been present throughout British history. And they were crucial in making Britain an important nation. Most books about British history don’t have Black people in them - so they are not telling the whole story!

In fact -

1. The very first people who settled in Britain were Black. They lived here for 7,500 years before the first white migrants arrived. During this time other Black migrants to Britain built Stonehenge.

2. There were Black people in Britain during Roman times, the Middle Ages, Tudor times, Georgian times, Victorian times, the Edwardian era and ever since. There have always been Black people in Britain.

3. Britain was the first industrialised nation in the world. It had an empire that ruled a quarter of the planet. But Britain would not have become this rich and this powerful without the work of millions of Black people who were trafficked and enslaved, and given no compensation.

4. Millions of global majority people - including Black people - fought for Britain and the allies during World War One and World War Two. Without their sacrifice it is unlikely that Britain and her allies would have won these wars.

5. After World War Two Britain invited Black people to come and rebuild Britain. They came, they stayed and they have excelled in every single arena ever since - helping the British nation.