Black Britain and Nelson Mandela : “Pulling the Branch of a Tree”

Abstract

In this open access book, Elizabeth Williams leads a cast of renowned scholars to explore the impact of Nelson Mandela's legacy on Black intellectual thought on race and social justice in Britain.This engaging book presents an original collection of chapters authored by leading Black voices across the academy, foregrounding the Black British perspective in historical discourse for the first time. This fresh take on Mandela the Man, rather than the enduring myth around his branding, explores the life of Nelson Mandela; his contribution to the peace in South Africa and the impact of British law on Mandela and his legal jurisprudence. Not only does this innovative collection highlight the lessons which can be learned from Mandela's life, it also connects with contemporary issues of race in Britain today, taking in the Rhodes Must Fall movement and Black Lives Matter movement. The result is a much-needed revival of existing literature, and a collection which will be of interest to students and scholars of Black British History.