The Black British community is as diverse as it is nuanced. Though many of us have skin tones, facial features and hair textures in common, our (ethnic) roots lead to lands far beyond the birthplace of the diaspora.

As Africans and Caribbeans arrived in Britain during the 50s, 60s and 70s, they divided into their respective factions and were seemingly happy to remain compartmentalised. Caribbeans stuck with other Caribbeans, West Africans mixed with other West Africans, East Africans socialised with other East Africans – and so on. 

This was therefore reflected in the makeup of romantic relationships and Black family units in the UK. While it might have been unusual back then for, say, a woman of Gambian heritage to marry a man of Antiguan descent, these types of arrangements have become increasingly normalised thanks to the children and grandchildren of those first generation immigrants.