Africans believe that to gauge one’s success in life, it is important to compare achievements with those of peers or contemporaries. In assessing the impact of the Empire Windrush’s arrival on June 22, 1948, it is necessary to consider other events that occurred during the same period. Notably, India gained its independence from the British Empire almost a year prior, while the Chinese Communist party emerged victorious in the civil war a year later, solidifying China’s dominance. These two nations are currently initiating transformative shifts that are challenging the transatlantic global order established over the past 500 years.
Given the overshadowing significance of these events, the Windrush’s impact may initially seem insignificant. However, the upcoming celebrations on Windrush Day will highlight two key aspects of its influence. Firstly, the arrival of 500 individuals from the Caribbean marked the beginning of mass migration from the colonies to the UK. Secondly, this migration led to the creation of a multiracial society, which, 75 years later, has resulted in the appointment of a prime minister of Indian descent with African roots, as well as the first minister of Scotland and the Labour leader, both with Pakistani heritage.
While this may seem unrelated to the rise of India and China on the global stage, these events are interconnected. The historical forces that paved the way for the emergence of India and China also played a role in the Windrush arrivals. After the debilitating Second World War, power shifted from Europe to the US in the Atlantic space and to the Soviet Union in the eastern Eurasian space. Britain, which had previously been at the forefront of configuring the global order through colonization, slavery, and the recruitment of indentured laborers, found itself in need of labor for the reconstruction of war-torn Europe. Hence, the colonial project was reversed, and the labor force was brought back to Britain.
The story of Windrush is a small part of the broader narrative of global recalibration, comparable in significance to the rise of India and China. However, it is primarily a personal story – that of the 500 ex-service personnel arriving in the UK with hope for a better future. Initially, many planned to stay for a few years and then return to their homelands to contribute to their countries’ development and independence. However, as time passed, the majority of their descendants remained, and the Windrush story became intertwined with the Home Office-organized scandal of deportation, which betrayed the hopes and dreams of this heroic generation. Calls for apologies and reparations have grown louder as the UK grapples with its difficult past and unresolved issues of racism and inequality.
Feelings and perspectives on this matter have fluctuated over time. The Windrush at 50 celebrations in 1998 were more optimistic, coinciding with the naming of the Windrush phenomenon and the rise of multiculturalism in Britain. However, subsequent events, such as the Iraq war and the financial crash of 2008, shattered this optimism and led to the conditions that eventually led to Brexit.
Now, as we reach the 75th anniversary, the global landscape is evolving, and a multipolar world is emerging. China and India continue to progress, with India’s GDP surpassing that of the UK. Meanwhile, Africa, from where many of the Caribbean Windrush generation and myself are descended, represents more than just a benchmark for measuring progress among peers. It has witnessed a remarkable reconnection between continental Africans and the descendants of those who were forcefully displaced from the continent. This reconnection, which extends beyond intellectual circles, represents a necessary mending of a 500-year-old African-Atlantic divide.
Looking ahead to the 100th anniversary of the Windrush, one can only speculate on the future. Will advancements in technology and the looming climate crisis shape a more optimistic narrative? Will the Windrush experience be firmly placed within the broader story of the evolving multipolar world? Hopefully, the African-Atlantic world will finally articulate its full story of the past 500 years, acknowledging both its losses and triumphs, exemplified by the Windrush generation and their descendants in the UK.
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