Hello, and thank you for joining me for another Oak Academy history lesson.

My name is Mrs. Knox, and today I'll be guiding you through all of the resources that you need to be successful with this lesson.

So let's get started.

The lesson today is part of a unit of work on post-war Britain.

We are asking for whom did the United Kingdom become a new Jerusalem? In today's lesson, we'll be focusing on experiences of racism in Britain, and by the end of the lesson, you'll be able to describe how immigration to Britain from the Caribbean changed the makeup of Britain and explain that these groups experience significant racism.

Our lesson today will use some keywords.

Let's have a look at those words now.

The first term we'll use is labour shortage, which is when there are not enough workers to meet the demand.

We'll also use the word racism, which is prejudice or discrimination against a person on the basis of their race and ethnicity.

Finally, we'll use the word empire.

Empire refers to a group of countries or provinces ruled from the centre by another person or a group of people.

Today's lesson will be in three sections, so we'll get started now on section one.

Here, we'll be looking at the context of post-war immigration.

In the aftermath of World War II, Britain was in a terrible state.

The war had destroyed large parts of Britain cities and caused the deaths of 70,000 civilians and 384,000 soldiers.

This left Britain with severe labour shortages.

Luckily, when the British government passed the British Nationality Act in 1948, it provided a solution to these problems. It made provision for all Commonwealth, that's countries that had been part of the British empire, and imperial citizens to have British passports, allowing them to come and live and work in the UK.

They were then able to fill vacancies in Britain's transport network, help with rebuilding war damaged infrastructure, and staff the newly formed National Health Service.

Furthermore, in order to meet the need for workers, the British government actively encouraged migration to Britain from within its imperial possessions.

It's time now to have a quick check of your understanding so far.

I'd like you to answer this question.

What two problems did Britain face post World War II? A, the creation of the NHS, b, poor quality housing, or c, labour shortages? Press pause to complete your answer and then press play to see what you should have written.

Welcome back.

Let's have a look at the two correct answers.

You should have said that after World War II, Britain faced problems of poor quality housing and labour shortages.

Many people living in parts of the British Empire were attracted to settling in parts of the UK because of various problems in their home countries.

For example, with the end of Colonial rule in British India, the independent countries of India and Pakistan were created, resulting in a period of violent transition.

Around 20 million people caught up in this violence became refugees, thousands of whom settled in Britain after 1948.

In the Caribbean, there were economic problems causing unemployment, largely as a result of British underdevelopment of their colonies in the region.

This had resulted in many men from Jamaica, Trinidad, and Tobago joining the army during World War II to escape poverty.

Many had ended up being stationed in Britain during the war, and this experience encouraged them to move to Britain to seek a better life post World War II.

Time to check your understanding once more.

True or false, Caribbean migrants came to Britain after World War II to escape poverty? Press pause and then when you're ready to hear the correct answer, press play.

You should have said that the correct answer was true.

I'd like you to pause the video again now and write an explanation as to why the answer is true.

Welcome back.

You could have written that the reason the answer is true is there were high levels of unemployment in places like Jamaica, Trinidad, and Tobago due to British underdevelopment of these parts of its empire.

Finally, in this section, let's try this question.

I'd like you to one reason why there was a need for immigration to Britain after World War II.

To help you with your answer, there's a sentence starter on the screen.

Press pause now to complete your answer and then press play to see what you could have written.

Let's have a look to see how you got on.

Your answer could have included some of the following.

One reason why there was a need for immigration to Britain at the end of the Second World War was because of labour shortages.

World War II had resulted in the loss of the lives of British workers, as well as causing considerable destruction to British cities.

There was a need to allow workers from the empire to come to Britain to help to rebuild the country and to fill jobs such as those on the transport system and in the National Health Service.

We're ready to move on now to the second section of our lesson today.

This section will look at the arrival of the Windrush generation.

The arrival of Caribbean migrants in Britain after World War II is referred to as the Windrush generation, as some of the first post-war migrants from the Caribbean travelled to Britain on the Empire Windrush ship on the 22nd of June, 1948.

Many of the 492 migrants who arrived on the Empire Windrush were war veterans.

They were the first of some 500,000 Caribbeans who came to Britain between 1948 and 1971, making a considerable economic and cultural contribution to British life.

Not only did they undertake essential jobs as manual workers, cleaners, nurses, and drivers, but they also brought with them their own distinctive fashion, music, food, and customs. Today, there are around one million people of Caribbean descent living in Britain.

It's time to check your understanding once more.

Why are the people who immigrated to Britain from the Caribbean after World War II known as the Windrush generation? Is it because a, the part of the Caribbean they came from was called Windrush? B, the ship they travelled on was called the Empire Windrush? Or c, the area of Britain they settled in was called the Windrush Valley? Press pause and then when you're ready to hear the correct answer, press play.

You should have said that the correct answer was b.

The ship they travelled on was called the Empire Windrush, hence the name The Windrush Generation.

The jobs performed by migrant workers from Britain's Empire were essential to Britain's post World War II recovery.

They filled the labour shortages in the British economy, often holding down two jobs at a time.

These tended to be low-paid jobs with long hours involving hard physical labour, such as cleaning or factory work.

The Daphne Steel, for example, came to the UK in 1951 as part of the British government's NHS recruitment campaign.

She was the first Black person to be appointed as a matron in the NHS in 1964.

Even before the launch of the NHS, there had been a nurse shortage in Britain as many women had started to take on higher paid jobs in other professions.

The arrival of the Windrush generation, therefore, came at a particularly fortunate time as it helped to prevent the new public service from being overwhelmed.

Migrants helped the NHS to meet the demands of the British population when it was first created, and it also supported its growth in the decades that followed.

By 1955, there were 16 NHS recruitment agencies in the British colonies.

By 1965, 5,000 Jamaican women were employed in UK hospitals, and by 1977, 66% of overseas student nurses and midwives were of Caribbean heritage.

It's time to check your understanding once more.

True or false, Britain's National Health Service may not have survived without the work of the Windrush generation? Press pause to complete your answer and then press play when you're ready to hear what you should have written.

You should have said The correct answer is true.

I'd like you to pause the video again now and write an explanation of why the answer is true.

Welcome back.

Let's have a look at what you could have said.

You could have said There was already a shortage of nurses before the NHS was created, and when it opened, there was an overwhelming demand for its services.

The Windrush generation helped to solve the problem of labour shortages within the NHS.

Finally, in this section, I'd like you to complete this task.

You need to read Jun's opinion and provide two reasons to support his answer.

Let's have a look at Jun's opinion now.

Jun says, "The Windrush generation helped to rebuild Britain after World War II.

They were essential to its post-war recovery, and they made Britain what it is today." Press pause whilst you complete your answer, then press play to see what you could have written.

Welcome back.

Let's see how you got on.

Your answer might have included the following.

The Windrush generation boosted the economy as they were willing to take on low paid jobs, often working long hours in physically demanding roles.

They made the nation healthier by becoming NHS doctors, nurses, and midwives, and they contributed to British culture through fashion, music, and cuisine.

Finally, today, we move on to the last section of the lesson lesson.

This section will look at the experiences of the Windrush generation.

Despite their important contribution to British society and the economy, many of the Windrush generation faced racism and discrimination when they came to live and work in the UK.

Some British people were worried that mass immigration would change the identity of their local areas, and others feared the extra pressure on public services and the welfare state, thinking that migrant workers would undercut their pay.

These fears were whipped up by racist groups like the British National Party, the BNP, who spread fear and misinformation.

The result was that the Windrush generation felt unwelcome in Britain despite the significant contribution that they were making to British communities during the post-war recovery.

Landlords would refuse to let houses to Black migrants, and some, like the exploitative landlord, Peter Rachman, in London's Notting Hill area, would overcharge Black tenants whilst housing them in terribly overcrowded and rundown accommodation.

Within the workforce, the Black community found it difficult to get anything other than the least desirable and the lowest paid jobs, and there was a colour bar on some jobs which prevented them from applying.

In British schools, the children of Caribbean migrants were often bullied by other young people and even faced discrimination from their teachers.

Hostility and racial violence developed in areas where there were high numbers of migrants living and working between the Black community and gangs of White youths.

This resulted in race riots in London and Nottingham in 1958.

The police were expected to protect all citizens, but some within the police force and the judicial system treated the Windrush generation unequally.

Here's a quick check now of your understanding again.

True or false, people of the Windrush generation were treated with respect on their arrival in Britain after World War II? Press pause and then press play for the answer.

You should have said, the answer is false.

I'd like you to press pause again whilst you explain why the answer is false.

Let's see how you got on.

You could have said that they faced discrimination in the workplace and in securing housing, and they were subjected to racism and even violence within their communities.

In order to survive this hostility, people of the Windrush generation were forced to become resilient and had to rely on their own family and friends for support.

Many turned to their churches to provide a safe place for the Black community to meet, as well as to celebrate their own cultural traditions.

The Notting Hill Carnival was created in 1959 as a way of celebrating Caribbean culture and improving relations within multicultural communities in Britain.

Important steps have been taken in tackling racism, such as the passing of laws like the Race Relations Act in 1965, which outlawed public discrimination.

However, undoubtedly, there is still more to do.

Recognising and celebrating the important contribution people from the Empire made in rebuilding Britain after World War II is one way to redress the mistreatment the Windrush generation faced in post-war Britain.

Here's another quick check of your understanding.

Which law was introduced to ban public discrimination in the UK, a, the National Insurance Act of 1965, b, the Race Relations Act of 1965, or c, the War Damage Act of 1965? Press pause and then press play to hear the correct answer.

Well done if you said the correct answer was B, it was the Race Relations Act in 1965 that banned public discrimination in the UK.

Here's one final check of your understanding.

In this task, I'd like you to read Izzy's opinion and decide which of these two statements best justifies her opinion.

Let's read Izzy's opinion now.

Izzy says, "The Windrush generation was badly treated by some people in Britain in the aftermath of World War II." Press pause to read through the two statements and when you think you've got your answer, press play.

You should have said that the statement that justifies Izzy's view is a, despite many migrants being British army veterans helping rebuild British cities and caring for people in the NHS, they faced racism and hostility.

Finally now, let's move on to the last task of today's lesson.

In this task, I'd like you to explain why the Windrush generation encountered significant racism in Britain after World War II.

You might want to consider the following points in your answer, fears for the loss of British culture, the role of racist groups, and the pressures on the economy and the state in the aftermath of World War II.

Press pause to complete your answer and then press play to see what you might have written.

Welcome back.

Let's have a look at a possible answer.

There are several reasons why the Windrush generation encountered significant racism in Britain after World War II.

First, the country was in a terrible state after the war.

With pressure on housing and the newly formed welfare state, some people in Britain feared that mass immigration would make these problems worse.

Secondly, not everyone was supportive of Britain becoming more multicultural, and misunderstandings about Caribbean cultures made some more determined to preserve their ideas of traditional British ways of life.

Finally, racist groups like the BNP exploited people's anxieties over the economy, which resulted in some members of the British public being unable to recognise the benefits immigration was actually bringing to the recovery of the UK in the post-war period.

We've now reached the end of today's lesson, so let's have a look at the things that you should take away.

Labour shortages after World War II were a significant problem in Britain and reduced the chances of successful post-war recovery.

In 1948, the British Nationality Act and the encouragement of the government led to around 500,000 people coming to Britain from the Caribbean.

They became known as the Windrush generation as the first group arrived on the Empire Windrush on the 22nd of June, 1948.

These migrants contributed to the post-war recovery in Britain.

Yet, they faced racism and discrimination in many aspects of life.

Many thanks for your hard work in the lesson today.

I hope that you feel that you've met your learning objective for the lesson.

I look forward to you joining me in a future history lesson.