Multicultural Britain: A People’s History w/ Kieran Connell

Join us at Brig Café at the Warehouse, hosted with the Birmingham Race Impact Group, the Start Hall Archive Project, and Voce Books, to celebrate the publication of Multicultural Britain: A People’s History, a new work by historian Kieran Connell.

Connell’s book explores the evolution of Britain into a multicultural society. He draws not just from historical data but also from personal experiences in Balsall Heath, a multicultural area in Birmingham, to show how multiculturalism has become an integral and complex part of British society. The book aims to change the conversation around multiculturalism, showcasing it as a rich and vibrant reality rather than a divisive issue, and it goes beyond London to feature diverse communities throughout Britain.

The event includes refreshments and is an opportunity to hear directly from Connell about his motivations and insights in writing the book. Reviews praise it as timely and insightful, with writer Johny Pitts noting that it provides a vision for Britain’s future rooted in its multicultural past. Connell has a background in writing about social history and has co-curated exhibitions, like the Janet Mendelsohn: Varna Road exhibit, which dealt with themes similar to those in his book.

About the author

Kieran Connell is a writer and historian based at Queen’s University Belfast. His first book, Black Handsworth: Race in 1980s Britain, was shortlisted for the Whitfield Book Prize. kieranconnell.com