Black Teacher

The rediscovered classic: an unforgettable memoir by a trailblazing black woman in post-war London, introduced by Bernardine Evaristo (‘I dare anyone to read it and not come away shocked, moved and entertained … One of the unsung heroines of Black British literature.’)

Benjamin Zephaniah: ‘A must-read. Her life makes you laugh. Her life makes you cry. Get to know her.’

Jacqueline Wilson: ‘A superb but shocking memoir about a brilliant teacher, imaginative, resilient and inspiring.’

Steve McQueen: ‘Gilroy blazed a path that empowered generations of Black British educators.’

Diana Evans: ‘Important, enlightening and very entertaining, full of real-life drama … Inspirational.’

David Lammy: ‘This empowering tale of courage, resistance, and triumph is a breath of fresh air.’

Alex Wheatle: ‘A pioneer in many fields and wonderful example for all of us … Essential reading.’

Christie Watson: ‘A beautiful memoir of one woman’s strength and dignity against the odds.’

Being denied teaching jobs due to the colour bar. Working in an office amidst the East End’s bombsites. Serving as a lady’s maid to an Empire-loving aristocrat. Raising two children in suburbia. Becoming one of the first black headteachers in Britain.

In 1952, Beryl Gilroy moved from British Guiana to London. Her new life wasn’t what she had expected – but her belief in the power of education resulted in a revolutionary career. Black Teacher, her memoir, is a rediscovered classic: not only a rare first-hand insight into the Windrush generation, but a testament to how one woman’s dignity, ambition and spirit transcended her era.