Everyone’s history

To celebrate Black History Month this week on UNITElive, every day we meet a Unite member who tells us of their own experiences. Today we meet Majid Rahman

Majid Rahman’s great grandfather, Abdul, fought for Britain during the First World War. Unfortunately records of his involvement were lost after India’s independence in 1946.

Abdul’s British Army service, like many other black and Asian histories of significance to the UK, has quietly disappeared.

While there isn’t much to be done about Abdul’s lost records, says Welsh BAEM committee member Majid, other opportunities are available to honour the contributions made by ethnic minorities to Britain.

Remembering the forgotten sacrifices of the Indian soldiers in both world wars, many of them the relatives of born and bred Britons alive today, is just a case in point.

“People seem to think ethnic minorities suddenly arrived in Britain in the 60s and it’s not true,” says Majid.

Hundreds of years

“Asian and African people have been living here for hundreds of years. Take Cardiff for example. The city had been trading with India and Bangladesh for a long time before that – but it would be hard to find someone in Wales that would know about these links,” he adds.

“My friend’s grandfather came over from Bengal on a trading ship and decided he wanted to live here because it was so beautiful and the people were so lovely.

“His grandfather arrived in the 1950s but his family was trading in Wales well before that. There’s fourth and fifth generation Welsh families that are still considered newly arrived immigrants.”

Along with the Bengali community, Somalis have also long resided in Wales. In fact they are the oldest Welsh ethnic minority community, after arriving in Cardiff more than a century ago to establish trade links.

Despite this it took until 2013 for Wales’ first Somali councillor, Omar Ali from Newport, to be elected.

Majid pointed out that reinforcing the long and varied history of black and Asian people within the UK, is an important part of breaking down barriers that may exclude full and necessary participation in the life of our country.

It serves as a reminder that Britain’s success is dependent on many different contributions.

“People are realising now more than ever that we just can’t hide certain aspects of history.

Diverse

“Britain has always been diverse – right from the time of the Roman Empire. It’s just been forgotten. It’s not just important for ethnic minorities. It’s important for white people as well.

“Black History Month is about the history of this country – that’s everyone’s history,” he says.

Unite is committed to increasing a common understanding of the invaluable and important roles people from ethnic minorities have played in improving and enriching British society.

While there is a lot more to be done, Majid says progress is being made to improve racial diversity.

“In Wales we have a lot of banter, which I love. But sometimes, without knowing it, a person can cross a line and say something that may offend someone from an ethnic minority,” Majid said.

“Unite helps inform employees, employers and organisations about where that line is. It’s helps to educate and inform people – to make sure everyone is on the same page.”

Photo of a Benet–Mercier machine gun section of 2nd Rajput Light Infantry of British Indian Army in action in Flanders, during the winter of 1914–15. The soldiers are not related to Majid.

• Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow for the final account in this series