SAM SELVON- Father of Black British Lit 17 April 2009

Sam Selvon,

Sam Selvon , [1923-1994] has been dubbed the father of Black Literature in England.

Born in Trinidad of half Scottish descent, he first came to London in the late 1950s.

He was the writer of many novels including:‘Moses Ascending’, ‘Eldorado West One’ and ‘A Brighter Sun’.

However, he shot to fame with his rap novel, The Lonely Londoners,’ in 1956.

It was based loosely on the autobiographical experiences of his own and his acquaintances of Afro-Carribean and West Indian origin, immigrating to London in the 50s. They were formally known as ‘The Windrush Generation.’

The squalid bedsits, cramming as many as possible up the harrow road; the look of terror from the white mass at the sight of a black face, and the warmth of a makeshift dancehall jiving to the sounds of Lord Kitcherner, all cohabit this isolated and smog filled world.

The novel also reveals the fear of the English as a ‘white nation,’ from a dying Empire.
Selvon is pictured on the left in the line up below:

Imagine the a novel, which would be the Literature equivalent to Honest Jon’s rather fabulous set of compilations ‘London is the Place for Me.’

There’s a tenderness, naivety and sense of hope with a feeling of being an outsider and a harsh reality from a Society petrified by a wave of change.

I’ve been inspired by this novel. I seem to find my own lineage and a feeling of detachment, 50 years later as the daughter of Indian immigrants in the capital.

Although my parents were from a separate continent, with different traditions and languages; a recognition of solitude and cultural separation echo both in their stories and Selvon’s narrative.

The album, Albion Voice is an attempt to capture this immigrant voice in the C21st which has served as integral part of English culture from Chaucer to contemporary writers like Zadie Smith.

Apart from all my A-Level style musings, It’s a bloody good read!

Bishi
xxxx