Navigated to Black GIs: When Jim Crow Came To Britain (Ep 1)

Black GIs: When Jim Crow Came To Britain (Ep 1)

Dec 8, 2025
34 mins

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Episode Description

What happened when 1.5 million American GIs, including 130,000 African Americans, were stationed in the UK during WWII? How did the Jim Crow segregation laws work in the American army? What was surprising about how the Brits reacted when America tried to export this segregation to the UK? 


Sarah Churchwell and David Olusoga look at the forgotten story behind the ‘friendly invasion’ in  WWII. 


Social Producers: Emma Jackson, Harry Balden

Assistant Producer: Alfie Rowe

Producer: Alice Horrell

Head of History: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

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