A new survey of Black British people has revealed that just one in 10 are ‘definitely proud’ to be British.
The Black British Voices Research project (www.bbvp.org) – a collaboration between the the University of Cambridge, The Voice newspaper, and I-Cubed surveyed over 10,000 Black Brits across sixteen topics including Britishness, Identity and Racism.
The results showed that less than half of those surveyed (49%) were ‘definitely’ or ‘somewhat’ proud to be British, with over a third of young Black Brits (39%) not regarding Britain as their ‘permanent’ home.
The findings demonstrate the deep-rooted impact of systemic racism on Black British communities and its psychological impact on issues of identity and belonging.
98% of respondents said they have had to compromise who they are or how they express themselves to fit in the workplace, including adapting hairstyles, with appearance and cultural background cited as factors influencing lack of promotion or opportunities to develop at work.
Lester Holloway, Editor of The Voice Newspaper, said: “This study should be a wake-up call for Britain. We have many fourth-generation Black Brits and, as a community, we should be feeling part of this country. Yet the lived experience of racism in every area of life is leading many to not feel British. We cannot keep ignoring racial disparities and its impact. There needs to be a national conversation about this, and we need race back on the political agenda, so we can tackle the causes of this disconnect between Black Brits and the only country they know.”
The comprehensive project was launched in March of 2020, bringing together a committed team of partners and supporters including the M&C Saatchi Group, the Jamaica National Group and the Black Equity Organisation (BEO).
Dr. Kenny Monrose, the lead researcher on this project at Cambridge University, said: “The carpet of data captured within this report reliably highlights the chronic level of racial disparities and unequal outcomes that they face on a daily basis.”
The report will be officially launched at the House of Commons on Thursday 28 September.
A shocking survey of Black British people has revealed that just one in 10 are ‘definitely proud’ to be British.
The Black British Voices Research project (www.bbvp.org), a collaboration between the University of Cambridge, The Voice newspaper, and I-Cubed, surveyed over 10,000 Black Brits across sixteen topics including Britishness, Identity and Racism.
The findings showed that less than half of those surveyed (49%) were ‘definitely’ or ‘somewhat’ proud to be British, with over a third of young Black Brits (39%) not regarding Britain as their ‘permanent’ home.
This demonstrates the deep-rooted impact of systemic racism on Black British communities and its psychological impact on issues of identity and belonging.
98% of respondents said they have had to compromise who they are or how they express themselves to fit in the workplace, including adapting hairstyles, with appearance and cultural background cited as factors influencing lack of promotion or opportunities to develop at work.
Lester Holloway, Editor of The Voice Newspaper, said: “This study should be a wake-up call for Britain. We have many fourth-generation Black Brits and, as a community, we should be feeling part of this country. Yet the lived experience of racism in every area of life is leading many to not feel British. We cannot keep ignoring racial disparities and its impact. There needs to be a national conversation about this, and we need race back on the political agenda, so we can tackle the causes of this disconnect between Black Brits and the only country they know.”
The comprehensive project was launched in March of 2020, bringing together a committed team of partners and supporters including the M&C Saatchi Group, the Jamaica National Group and the Black Equity Organisation (BEO).
Dr. Kenny Monrose, the lead researcher on this project at Cambridge University, said: “The carpet of data captured within this report reliably highlights the chronic level of racial disparities and unequal outcomes that they face on a daily basis.”
The report, which will be officially launched at the House of Commons on Thursday 28 September, shows the need for more to be done to address and eradicate the deep-rooted sources of anti-Black racism in the UK.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.