Campaigners say Windrush’s 75th anniversary is ‘Britain’s Diamond Jubilee’ Commonwealth Immigration

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Campaigners have stated that this year’s 75th anniversary of the ship Windrush, which brought hundreds of migrants from the Caribbean to the UK, should mark the “Diamond Jubilee of a modern and diverse Britain”.

Actor Sir Lenny Henry, Tristram Hunt, President of the Victoria and Albert Museum, and Kwame Kwe-Armah, Artistic Director of Young Vic are among the arts, sport, business and faith representatives to call for the national anniversary. festivities.

Windrush Day was introduced on 22 June by the government in 2018 to encourage “communities across the country to celebrate the contribution of the Windrush generation and their descendants”. The move came a year after The Guardian began revealing how hundreds of people who had come to work in the UK were wrongly arrested, deported and denied their legal rights.

This year will be “a special year for Britain, a year of identity,” said Sunder Katwala, director of the British Future think tank. “The coronation year that heralds a new era. Once upon a time as we celebrate 75 years of Pride in the NHS, 75 years of Windrush, a moment that symbolizes the post-war migration that has shaped our society today.”

Special events and programs are planned to celebrate the 75th anniversary. The V&A will host a season of shows, talks, workshops and events that tell “rich, layered stories about the Windrush generation and their legacy through objects from the V&A Collection and beyond, showcasing the artists and designers associated with Windrush and exploring the influence of the Caribbean presence in art, design and culture in Britain”, Hunt said.

Tony Butler, Executive Director of Derby Museums, said: “In 2023, museums across the country from London to Leeds, and from Preston to Reading, will host events and exhibitions commemorating the Windrush heritage.

Museums are civic spaces where stories are told. Often this is done by objects and art. Many of the people who made this trip 75 years ago didn’t bring anything with them. Over the years, as places of memory, museums and community heritage organizations across the UK have collected history and oral memories to share their stories with the public.”

Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, said the anniversary was “a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the work and significant contributions of our black and other minority ethnic colleagues to the NHS, which is also celebrating its 75th anniversary”.

She added: “From 1948 until today, the NHS has always welcomed talent from all over the world. Many of the newcomers’ contributions to the health service helped create a new, free healthcare system for all. They were crucial in shaping the NHS, and I am honored to work alongside their descendants and the generations that have followed in their footsteps.”

Henry’s one-man play, August in England, about the injustices of the Windrush scandal, will be staged at the Bush Theater in west London, and he has also written a six-part play, Three Little Birds, which will be broadcast on ITV this year.

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“It is so important to celebrate this year the courage of these Windrush pioneers 75 years ago, who gave up the life they knew in search of a better life here in Britain. They paved the way for those of us who followed.

Kwe Armah said: “Windrush embodies so many human stories — of dreams for the future, of injustice and adversity, of identity and belonging — that have spanned generations over the past 75 years. It is a powerful symbol that will inspire culture-makers throughout 2023.”

A poll for the Windrush 75 network showed that six in 10 people agreed that “Britain owes a great deal to the Windrush generation of immigrants and should recognize their contribution as part of our national story”.

The same proportion want to teach the “common history of multiracial Britain” in schools.

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