HISTORY IS A mirror that reflects our past. It is the instrument through which we are perceived by others. History reveals our aspirations, contributions, self-image, and identity. Therefore, history must be our best friend and our first teacher. Today, you are warmly invited to spend a few moments looking into the mirror of the early presence of black people in Britain’s past. My intention in researching the history of the early black presence in Britain is to challenge the accepted misconception that Britain has always been a white-only society.

Many believe that black people first arrived in England on the ship Empire Windrush (originally a German ship named MV Monte Rosa), which brought 492 passengers from Jamaica and Trinidad on the 22nd of June 1948. It is often forgotten that archaeological and historical evidence reveals that centuries before Empire Windrush, the African-born Roman emperor Septimius Severus and his son Caracalla ruled Britannia in the third century AD.

Furthermore, archeologists have discovered the bones of an affluent black woman in York that dates back to the same time period when Septimius Severus ruled. Her affluence was suggested by the fact that she was buried with a mirror, perfume and valuable jewelry. Moreover, archaeologists from the Natural History Museum have determined that the first Britons, who lived many thousands of years before Septimius Severus, had “dark to black” skin. DNA analysis of Cheddar Man, Britain’s oldest complete skeleton, demonstrates that he had a very dark brown to black complexion and dark curly hair. Such revelations challenge our contemporary understanding and teach us that our modern notions of nationhood and race are not supported by history.

Art plays a critical role in the historical process. Art helps us capture and freeze special moments in time and therefore art serves as significant evidence for those curious about the past. Within this book, you will see surprising artworks that have captured the presence of black people living in Britain during what historians call “the early modern period,” i.e., between the 16th and 19th centuries. These paintings are an important part of the rich heritage of black people and their journey through the British Isles.

Without such informative evidence, this research would be viewed as mere theoretical speculation. However, these wonderful works of art clarify the status of black and African peoples living in Britain. It is important for us to realize that evidence from art, archaeology, and DNA analysis teaches us that the black presence in Britain is not a new phenomenon but a reality that stretches back as far as our historical lens can see. Black people have long been “settlers” on the British Isles and not just “immigrants.”