Since the end of World War II Great Britain has continuously faced a common political and international dilemma- Commonwealth immigration. This immigration has continued to bring former colonists to their previous imperial “parent” in order to search for something that will help their future growth. Britons perceived this influx from the West Indies and Africa as an invasion. 1948 was only three years after the war, during the war many people from foreign countries came here for work as they were called upon to help as many British men had to fight for their country after the war however they stayed which angered many British people and sparked much racism between British people and people from countries such as Jamaica, the west indies and countries in Africa.
How was the social landscape changing?
Many black migrants started to get jobs in a white populated environment and there was hostility amongst the white community because they didn't want to work with 'coloured' people. They wanted to keep whites apart from blacks. Many young black men also started to have relationships with young white women and also there was hostility from society towards them because it was seen by some as a taboo. This was evident in the film 'Flame in the Streets' where the young white lady Cathy wanted to marry her black boyfriend and her mother says they will not be allowed to live a normal life. They will face difficulties such as getting looks from the public when they go out, and finding it hard to get a house because one of them has 'a black skin'. In sapphire the girl sapphire pretended to be a white woman she knows she will have a better quality of life if she was white and will not be judged based on her skin.
How did the changing social landscape lead to a 'racialisation' of British politics?
The social landscape changed to a racialisation of British politics, the laws were more racialised. Between 1962 and 1971, as a result of fears about increasing immigration by Commonwealth citizens from Asia and Africa, the United Kingdom gradually tightened controls on immigration by British subjects from other parts of the Commonwealth. The government introduced a law which involved the concept that only British subjects who had strong links with the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man had right of abode, the right to live and work in the United Kingdom and Islands. Also there were certain categories of migrant workers alowed to participate in the labour market.
Representation works through construction - how were black people represented in the film?
Black people were represented and lower and inferior to the white people. At the outset of the film Sapphire the friends she hung around with were all white and the society they lived were of a majority of white people. This shows that black people were not worthy or of a high class to be called friends by white people. There was also a club for foreigners called 'international club' this shows the segregation black and foreign people faced because they weren't allowed to mix with white people even at a club. When Sapphire was introduced to the police officer, tense music was played to show that there might be danger upcoming because the man was black. Black people were automatically attached to crime and anything bad. Also Sapphire's lingerie in the locked drawer seemed to shock the police officers because they linked the over sexualised clothes with her been black. The black men also referred to the white police men as 'boss' when answering their question this shows the superiority the white men had over the black men not only because they were police officers but as a white man they had power over them because of their race.
Considering your research and film analysis- How does the film put across a sense of collective identity of Black British people?
Black people were perceived as all the same by white people in the film and as the police officer says in the film Sapphire 'you can spot them a mile off' he already has a preconceived idea of how black people are. Many black men were seen as criminals because they had low paid jobs, low quality of life so they weren't given a chnace to develop.
