Saturday 22 June marks Windrush Day. It is 76 years since more than 500 Commonwealth citizens from the Caribbean arrived at Tilbury Docks, Essex. This was on request of the British Government, to help rebuild Britain after World War II.
Since the SS Empire Windrush docked on 22 June 1948, people who arrived on the ship and their descendants have made, and continue to make, an enormous contribution to Britain. This is not just in the vital work of rebuilding the country and public services. It is also in enriching our shared social, economic, cultural and religious life.
The Windrush Generation were met with racism and intolerance. Even years later, their citizenship was still being wrongly denied.
Windrush Day was first introduced in 2018. It is a chance to honour the generation that helped build the society we know today. It is also about understanding the hardships and sacrifices they have endured.
You can visit Black History Month’s dedicated page on the Windrush Generation to find out more.