On the evening of Wednesday 22 June the exterior facade of the Library of Birmingham will be lit up with a blue and white wave in support of Windrush Day 2022.

Windrush Day is celebrated in the United Kingdom every year on June 22.

The day marks the arrival of Afro-Caribbean immigrants to the shores of Britain and honours the British Caribbean community.

An estimated half a million people made their way to England after the Second World War. The first Windrush Day was held on June 22, 2018, after a successful campaign led by Patrick Vernon. Since then, more and more people have started participating in Windrush Day celebrations and observations to show empathy with the hardships that the previous generations of Black Britons endured and the current generations continue to endure.

On June 22, 1948, 492 Caribbean people arrived at Tilbury Docks, Essex on the Empire Windrush ship. While news reports claimed that the number was 492, the ship’s records show that more than a thousand passengers were on board. The United Kingdom suffered significant losses after the Second World War, and the British government decided that it was essential to recruit Afro-Caribbean migrants for the production of steel, coal, iron, and food, and running public transport. The transition wasn’t smooth and the first Afro-Caribbean immigrants faced violence and intolerance from the majority of the white population. Black people were also banned from many pubs, clubs, and churches.

Patrick Vernon recognized the importance of the day and called for its commemoration to acknowledge the contribution of migrants to British society, culture, and economy. Vernon first launched a petition to this effect in 2013, which was followed by another campaign in 2018, during the Windrush scandal. Officials accepted the petition and the government declared June 22 as Windrush Day.

Article posted 21 June 2022