They celebrated Windrush Day at my children’s school today. Windrush Day was introduced four years ago, on the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush to Tilbury Docks, Essex and its aim is to “recognise and thank all those who arrived on Empire Windrush and their descendants, for the enormous contributions they made to Britain”. At my children’s school the day is being marked with a Caribbean Carnival complete with steel band and the children wearing colourful clothes and eating tropical fruit.
I am pleased the contribution of the Windrush generation is being celebrated. I would be lying however if I did not also feel a little sad that there is no equivalent day to mark the contribution made by those whose ancestors came from the Indian sub-continent. Sad that I had no answer when my daughter came home from school last year and asked me why there was a Black History Month but there was no Brown History Month.
