We\u27re Here Because You Were There : Britain\u27s Black Population

The existence of a black population in Britain is the result of Britain’s imperialist history. The conquest of large parts of the world and their incorporation into a new world system dominated by Britain and other European nations not only created the economic basis of the capitalist system, but also set in motion massive movements of—and, indeed, constructions of—peoples. The creation of the African-American and African-Caribbean peoples are examples of this phenomenon: “We’re here because you were there.