Essential Bourne Reading

Learn more about Black British history with these four books

Mother Country: Britain’s Black Community on the Home Front, 1939-45, The History Press

During WWII many Black people in Britain volunteered as civilian defence workers and helped to unite their communities. Bourne tells the story of some of the forgotten Britons whose contribution to the war effort has been overlooked until now.

The Motherland Calls: Britain’s Black Servicemen & Women 1939-45, The History Press

Black volunteers from across the British Empire joined the armed forces and did their part for the war effort during WWII. Bourne pays tribute to the Black servicemen and women whose contribution to fighting for peace has too often been ignored.

War to Windrush: Black Women in Britain 1939 to 1948, Jacaranda Books

In War to Windrush,

Bourne celebrates the contribution of Black women to British society, from the start of WWII to the arrival of the Empire Windrush ship, in a decade of major upheaval and social change.

Under Fire: Black Britain in Wartime 1939-45, The History Press

Bourne draws on firsthand testimonies to tell the story of Britain’s Black community during WWII, shedding light on a wealth of experiences from evacuees, entertainers, government officials, prisoners of war and community leaders.