As a daughter of Windrush generation parents, I remember voyaging on a ship with my younger brother back to the Caribbean to live with our grandparents in the mid-1960s. My late parents, Matthew and Helena Emmanuel, like many others, either had to leave their children behind in the Caribbean or send them to be raised by grandparents due to the racism they faced in the UK. My eldest brother, one of the so-called 'Barrel Children'[i], was left behind when our parents travelled to the UK. He, too, was caught up in the Windrush Scandal, where, in 2018, hundreds of Commonwealth citizens, many of whom were from the 'Windrush' generation, had been wrongly detained, deported, and denied legal rights. The scandal was a result of the Home Office's discriminatory policies, incompetence, and mismanagement.
Upon his arrival in the UK at the age of 12, my brother was granted indefinite leave to remain, enabling him to reunite with our parents. It is important to note that my parents and other Windrush arrivals were not migrants, as they were invited from the British Colonies in the Caribbean to contribute to the UK's post-war workforce shortages. It was unimaginable to us that four decades later, he would be compelled to substantiate his UK citizenship to avoid deportation and potential denial of essential services, including healthcare, employment, and housing.
Today, those affected by the Windrush compensation scheme, which stem from the Government's hostile environment policy, continue to face these issues. Some remain in limbo, having been deported to the Caribbean, and unsure about whether they can return, while others have not received compensation nor reinstated with UK citizenship. The BBC's educational documentaries seen via these web links encapsulate the story of the Windrush generation and their struggle, leading to unresolved migration status in the UK: From slavery to Windrush: My family's story (Full Documentary) BBC News; Barrel Children: The families Windrush left behind; Britain’s Windrush veterans: the battle to be British.
British actor and reciter Colin McFarlane (Founder) and singer and songwriter Annie Lennox (Co-founder) of the Justice for Windrush Generations Justice4Windrush campaign have garnered significant media attention through a public letter endorsed by numerous celebrities. In collaboration with Professor Patrick Vernon, a long-standing Windrush advocate and leader of the Windrush 100 Network, McFarlane championed the cross-party Windrush for Justice Manifesto. The manifesto was developed by Action for Race Equality launched on the 21st June. Reflecting on the ongoing impact of the Windrush scandal, Professor Vernon stated, 'Over 50 individuals have already died, and we have yet to fully comprehend the psychological and traumatic impact on the Windrush Generation'.
As we mark the 76th anniversary and the forthcoming General Election in July, there is a call for political accountability. The Windrush Manifesto aims to correct the injustices following the Windrush Scandal and transfer the administration of the compensation scheme from the Home Office to an independent body.
I have named this article after the song 'Something Inside So Strong' by Labi Siffre as a tribute to the enduring spirit of the Windrush Generation. The Windrush flag, symbolising their legacy, will be flown on university campuses from the 21st to the 28th of June.
We remember those who have passed and those who still struggle. We celebrate their lives with an array of events and activities across the UK.
Myrtle has provided further information and ways for you to get involved below:
Let your MP know
- Open Letter Click here to sign
- Encourage your friends and family to sign or send them an email
- Email your local MP. Once you’ve signed the open letter, follow these steps to tell your MP
that we are demanding justice for the Windrush generation. It takes less than 5 minutes!- Follow this link to find your local MP
- Copy their email address
- Come back here and click ‘Email my MP’ for a pre worded email (feel free to change the wording!)
- Paste your local MP’s email address in the ’To’ section and Press send.
- Follow our social media accounts @J4Windrush on all platforms
- Share J4Windrush campaign film on your platform. If you have a platform and would like to
discuss ways of collaborating with #Justice4Windrush, please get in touch.
Join an event
Events in South London:
- National Windrush Museum
- Royal Greenwich Museum
- Black Cultural Archives
- Howard Grey Photography Windrush collection
- Autograph Exhibitions
More information
Film & TV:
- Memories of Windrush
- Windrush Generation: 3 Stories
- Sitting In Limbo
- The Unwanted Secret Windrush Files
Other resources
- Windrush Foundation
- Black History Month
- 100 Great Black Britons
- BBC.Co.UK: What is Windrush?
- Windrush Manifesto for Justice
- #Justice4Windrush
[i] Barrel Children are children who were left behind in the care of relatives or friends when parents migrate to other countries to seek a better life. They often receive material resources in the form of food and clothing via shipping barrels as well as money but lacked emotional nurturing from their parents (Crawford-Brown, 1999).
