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Black British Lives Matter

By: Lenny Henry, Marcus Ryder
Narrated by: Lennry Henry, Marcus Ryder, Debra Michaels, Ben Onwukwe, Liyah Summers, David Adjaye
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Summary

Featuring essays from David Olusoga, Dawn Butler MP, Kit de Waal, Kwame Kwei-Armah, and many more.

In response to the international outcry at George Floyd's death, Lenny Henry and Marcus Ryder have commissioned this collection of essays to discuss how and why we need to fight for Black lives to matter - not just for Black people but for society as a whole.

Recognising Black British experience within the Black Lives Matter movement, nineteen prominent Black figures explain why Black lives should be celebrated when too often they are undervalued. Drawing from personal experience, they stress how Black British people have unique perspectives and experiences that enrich British society and the world; how Black lives are far more interesting and important than the forces that try to limit it.

"We achieve everything not because we are superhuman. We achieve the things we achieve because we are human. Our strength does not come from not having any weaknesses, our strength comes from overcoming them" Doreen Lawrence.

"I always presumed racism would always be here, that it was a given. But the truth is, it was not always here, it was invented." David Olusoga

"Our identity and experience will shape every story, bleed into every poem, inform every essay whether it's about Black 'issues' or not" Kit de Waal

©2021 Lenny Henry and Marcus Ryder (P)2021 Faber & Faber
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What listeners say about Black British Lives Matter

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Fantastic read!

A look at various domains where BLM. Fantastic! A must read and very enlightening. I learnt a lot.

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Informative

I enjoyed listening to this audio book. Am intending to buy a hard copy. It was lovely to hear different experiences from different industries. This book will help heal and educate all and to let us feel, as black people, that our experiences are valid.

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2 people found this helpful

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Reading this book matters

An inspiring and emotionally moving read. A must, if you are Black and British.

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Thoroughly enlightening. Thank you!!!

I am grateful for the visioning and the co-creation that gave rise to this book. Again and again I found myself thinking, "I never knew that. And I never knew that I needed to know that..." because I am white! I am grateful for the insights and the persepctives that have helped and are helping to open my eyes. It is an amazing book and an amazing achivement. Even when I thought a chapter would not/could not resonate, it did. I thoroughly and wholeheartedly recommend it. If you think it's not for you, it probably is!!!

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Insightful, encouraging, emotional, beautiful

A wonderful audio book which helped me as a Black British woman feel, seen, heard and empowered. Thank you for this

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brilliant onsite onto different areas of why blm!!

really insightful informative and important read for everyone especially growing up black in the UK- thank you!

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I needed to Hear This Book

I did need to hear this book if only to frame my old white male privilege. It could not fail to move me, as I came to it from White Fragility and Between The World and Me. For all that, my opinion and this review count for nothing. Just know that, whatever your background, you’ll understand so much more for being open to it and being prepared to reflect upon its essays.

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inspirational

Loved this work to get views from different perspectives to challenge perconcepts. For me education is start...

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informative

Well worth a listen. A very informative record of Black British lives. I highly recommend.

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Powerful testimony

This is a really vital cross-section of society when viewed through representative black eyes. The chapters on black mothers and black fathers really struck me. Doreen Lawrence speaks as a black mother and her chapter is up there with great black feminist writing. Her iconic status is deconstructed by her recounted experience as she bares her heart to the listener.

The chapter on black charities went places I didn’t expect, as the author characterises charity in a white-dominated field.

Leroy Logan’s chapter on black police is full of intriguing detail and shows the necessity of representation in the force.

Many other chapters are dives into the issues around representation, with different opinions on the viability of the BLM movement, but absolutely embracing the spirit of the time.

Heart-felt and immersive.

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