- Imprint: Vintage
- ISBN: 9781529931334
- Length: 384 pages
- Price: £10.99
We Were There
How Black culture, resistance and community shaped modern Britain
Steve McQueenWe Were There is a vital corrective that enhances our understanding of Black British history in the 20th century by moving the narrative outside of London
GuardianLanre Bakare’s first book is not just a work of history – it is a necessary and urgent recalibration of the way we think about Black Britain… an expansive, deeply researched work that insists on a broader, richer understanding of Black life
Observer[Bakare writes] with quiet enthusiasm and sharp intelligence about black communities, including those in Bradford, Wolverhampton, Manchester, Liverpool, Cardiff and Edinburgh … We Were There bridges the gaps to missing links and admirably achieves what it sets out to provide: further evidence of Black people’s influence on the UK
GQ Magazine *best books of 2025*Like much of how we view and discuss history in the UK, the story of Black Britain often has a London bias. But as Guardian writer Lanre Bakare's book explores, there is a rich story to be told outside the capital too ... A joyous and fascinating corrective
Esquire *best books of 2025 so far*The premise of this non-fiction book is a deceptively simple one: to consider the influence of Black culture in modern Britain, and, critically, beyond London ... It's a part of Britain's collective heritage that has been woefully underreported and makes for a book that is fact-packed and fascinating
Dipo Faloyin, author of Africa Is Not A CountryWe Were There is an essential, unique and joyful contribution to the full understanding of Black Britain. It broadens our story and ensures that the scale of our influence across the UK is fully recognised and appreciated. Utterly brilliant
Arifa Akbar, author of ConsumedAn urgent conversation about Britishness and the breadth of Black British experience [that] will take us on affecting and insightful journeys
Gary Younge, author of Dispatches from the DiasporaLanre Bakare takes us on a rare journey, rearranging our understanding of Britain’s racial geography with an open mind, perceptive eye and an accessible style. An incisive book at an important time
David Kynaston, author of A Northern WindGenuinely pioneering and transformative histories only come along rarely, but Lanre Bakare's wonderfully immersive, wide-ranging account of the years when Black Britian acquired its own agency is undoubtedly such
Independent[A] meaty social history study [with] interesting things to say about race and class ... Packed with revealing content
About Lanre Bakare
Lanre Bakare was born and grew up in Bradford, West Yorkshire. He is a correspondent covering arts and culture for the Guardian, where his writing focuses on the intersection of art, race and culture across multiple disciplines.
He was senior correspondent on the award-winning Cotton Capital project and has worked in New York and Los Angeles as part of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Guardian US team.
He was senior correspondent on the award-winning Cotton Capital project and has worked in New York and Los Angeles as part of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Guardian US team.
Details
All editions
- Hardback 2025
- Paperback 2026
- Ebook 2025
- Audio Download 2025