7 Books That Will Help You Understand the African Immigrant Experience in the UK

Whenever you buy a book from our online store, we may make a small commission which supports our work. Visit our online store here.

On 30 July 2024, the world’s attention turned to the United Kingdom, where a series of anti-immigrant riots erupted in several cities. While it might be tempting to view these riots as a singular event spurred by rumours about the immigrant status of the suspect of a knife attack, it is crucial to consider them within their larger political contexts. Significantly, the violence accompanying these riots is the latest iteration of the systemic and physical violence that has historically plagued immigrants—especially African immigrants—in the country. It is yet another evidence against the long-standing myth of a post-racial Britain.

In our latest book recommendation, we have compiled a list of seven books that will help you understand the plight of African immigrant in the UK. From fiction to photography, whether works of historical research or social commentary, the books on this list span genres and eras to paint a vivid picture of the African immigrant experience in the UK.

Read our recommendations below.

SECOND-CLASS CITIZEN

AUTHOR: BUCHI EMECHETA

GENRE: FICTION

Second-Class Citizen is veteran Nigerian novelist Buchi Emecheta’s 1974 semi-autobiographical novel. It was one of the first novels that explored the realities of African immigrants in the UK.