The Blackwash

Let me know your thoughts… Netflix’s Inside the Manosphere promises a hard look at a controversial online world, but the documentary accidentally exposes a different conflict about new media vs traditional media.  In this episode we pull the conversation away from recycled outrage and towards cultural theory, asking what story the doc is actually telling when it pits streamers, algorithms and crea...

Let me know your thoughts… Power feels different when you can hold it in your hands—ink on paper, headlines on a newsstand, a community gathered on Brixton stairs. We revisit the West Indian Gazette and the force of Claudia Jones, tracing how a newspaper born from crisis became a cultural engine and a training ground for Carnival. The story begins in 1958 Britain—colour bars at pubs, landlords clo...

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Let me know your thoughts… The statistics are shocking but undeniable - Black Caribbean women and those of mixed white/Black Caribbean heritage experience the highest rates of domestic abuse among all ethnic groups in the UK. This urgent crisis demands our attention, understanding, and action. Domestic violence extends far beyond physical harm to include psychological manipulation, emotional traum...

Let me know your thoughts… Dreams, realities, and forbidden fantasies collide in this deep-dive exploration of interracial relationships in post-war Britain. Drawing from Samuel Selvon's groundbreaking 1956 novel "The Lonely Londoner," we uncover the complex dynamics that shaped the Windrush generation's experiences and continue to influence our conversations today. What motiva...

Let me know your thoughts… What happens when a culture becomes a commodity? The controversial "Jafaican" film has sparked heated debate across social media and mainstream publications, with many fixating solely on Peter Andre's portrayal of a character attempting to "learn to be Jamaican." But beneath this surface-level discourse lies a far more complex story. We're d...

Let me know your thoughts… Knowledge truly changes everything. On Stephen Lawrence Day, we take a profound journey beyond headlines and statistics to discover the full humanity of a young man whose life was cut tragically short by racist violence. Stephen wasn't just a victim or a symbol—he was an average 18-year-old, worked at McDonald's, studied diligently for his A-levels, and had alr...

Let me know your thoughts… Shame keeps us weighed down. Shame keeps us stuck. Shame about our hair, our features, our cultural heritage—this is the legacy of what I call "generational internalized racism," and it's time we brought it into the light. Drawing from personal experiences growing up in Peckham, South East London, this episode explores how anti-Black sentiments like "...

Let me know your thoughts… Smart reparations transforms an abstract concept into tangible justice. While traditional reparations discussions often stall due to their scope, targeting specific beneficiaries of slavery creates measurable, achievable goals that directly connect past exploitation to present wealth. The Codrington family's ownership of Betty's Hope plantation in Antigua repre...

Let me know your thoughts… We delve into the historical significance of the surname 'Brown' in Jamaica, unearthing connections to colonialism and the legacy of slavery through the figure of Hamilton Brown. The episode explores the misconceptions around colonial slavery compared to the harsher realities of Buckra slavery, drawing from Henry Whiteley's journal as a critical source of...

Let me know your thoughts… This episode delves into the intriguing history of Guiana Island (Antigua), exploring the concept of "Squatter's Whites" as a reflection on colonial privilege and exploitation. We investigate the legacy of the Codrington family, the stories of Major Hole, the Tanners, and the Buftons, and the ongoing implications of their actions on contemporary society. ...

Let me know your thoughts… Can the destruction of books equate to a cultural genocide? This episode of Blackwash dares to ask this provocative question as we uncover the overlooked history of Black British biblioclasm. Journey back to the 1970s in the UK when the firebombing of the UK Black Panthers' bookshop in Brixton symbolized a chilling attempt at cultural erasure. Through the eyes of a...

Let me know your thoughts… How does a tragic event evolve into a symbol of resilience and celebration? Join us as we unravel the origins of the Notting Hill Carnival through the poignant story of Kelso Cochrane. You'll learn about the harrowing night in 1959 when Kelso, an aspiring law student and skilled carpenter from Antigua, was brutally murdered in a racially motivated attack. This heino...

Let me know your thoughts… Is Shade Borough damaging the integrity of Black British journalism? Tune in to this episode of Blackwash as we explore the tension between entertainment-focused social media platforms and traditional Black national newspapers. We scrutinize the massive social media followings of Shade Borough compared to the Voice newspaper, Britain's lone Black national newspaper....

Let me know your thoughts… While Dubai today is synonymous with luxury and innovation, its history tells a different story. The pearl diving industry, once the economic lifeblood of the region, was fraught with peril and exploitation. In the episode, we discuss the narratives that gloss over the significant contributions of enslaved Africans to the region's economic development. Drawing from...

Let me know your thoughts… When Tony Sewell controversially attributed the educational disparities between African and Caribbean students to single-parent households, he ignited an age old ‘why are Afro-Caribbean boys failing in schools’ debate, which I refer to as ‘racial gaslighting within the UK education system’. I tackle these claims head-on, peeling back the layers of his argument to examine...

Let me know your thoughts… Prepare to unravel the complexities of racial preferences in the dating world as we launch "The Black Wash." Together we‘ll confront the sensitive issue of some UK Black men's dating choices, diving into my own theory, the five P's of preferential dating. This groundbreaking conversation is designed not only to enlighten but also to heal, as we consid...