In the 1980s – at the height of Thatcherism and in the wake of civil unrest and rioting in a number of British cities – the Black Arts Movement burst onto the British art scene with breathtaking intensity, changing the nature and perception of British culture irreversibly.

This richly illustrated volume presents a history of that movement. It brings together in a lively dialogue leading artists, curators, art historians and critics, many of whom were actively involved in the Black Arts Movement.

Thirteen original essays combine cultural theory with anecdote and experience, and the collection debates how the work of the black British artists of the 1980s might be viewed historically. The book includes a unique catalogue of images, an extensive list of suggested readings, and a descriptive timeline situating the movement vis-à-vis relevant artworks and films, exhibitions, cultural criticism, and political events from 1960 to 2000.