Black Teacher

Black Teacher

by Beryl Gilroy
Epub (Kobo), Epub (Adobe)
Publication Date: 29/06/2021

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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')

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 ... Imaginative, resilient and inspiring.'

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

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

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

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

**Paul Mendez: '**Written with a novelist's ear and sense of atmosphere ... A vital and unique testament.'

Jeffrey Boakye: 'A landmark. Warm and wise ... Life lessons we can all learn from.'

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

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. R aising 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 expected - but her belief in education resulted in a revolutionary career. Black Teacher, her memoir, is a rediscovered classic: not only a rare insight into the Windrush generation, but a testament to how her dignity, ambition and spirit transcended her era.

Reader Reviews:

'Incredibly important ... Such an interesting read, and I am so glad that it is being republished.'

'Wonderful and insightful. I really, thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.'


'Eye-opening ... A powerful reminder of how far we have come ... Beautifully written ... I wish everyone could have a teacher like Beryl!'

'Really lovely, and a surprisingly quick read ... I wish I could have met her.'

'A great piece of history [with] so much relevance even today as it touches upon issues of race, education and female empowerment.'


'Excellent [on] what it was really like for the Windrush Generation... Highly recommended.'

ISBN:
9780571366996
9780571366996
Category:
Memoirs
Format:
Epub (Kobo), Epub (Adobe)
Publication Date:
29-06-2021
Language:
English
Publisher:
Faber & Faber
Beryl Gilroy

Beryl Gilroy was born in 1924 in British Guiana. She trained as a teacher in Georgetown before starting university in London in 1952. For years she was denied teaching employment due to the colour bar and worked as a maid and clerk before studying child development and a PHD in psychology.

After finally entering the educational system, she rose to become the first Black female headteacher in Camden in 1969, and balanced teaching with raising a family. As well as her autobiographical novel Black Teacher (1976), Gilroy also wrote poetry, essays, and fiction, such as the prize-winning Frangipani House (1986) and In Praise of Love and Children (written in 1959 but rejected by publishers with male-dominated lists so only published in 1996) as well as Nippers, a pioneering multicultural series for children.

Later, she held posts on the UK Race Relations Board, the Institute of Education, and a psychotherapy practice. She was described after her death in 2001 as 'one of Britain's most significant post-war Caribbean migrants.

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