Review by Dainy Bernstein

Black people have a long history in Britain, but so many of their stories are unknown to most of us. Alison Hammond, together with Emma Norry, set out to change that in Black in Time, which introduces us to Black Britons from the age of the Romans right up to the present. Starting with Septimius Severus, a Black British man who was a “Roman emperor, epic warrior and political mastermind”, readers will learn about amazing Black people who lived in Britain throughout history, including John Edmonstone, a Black British man who was “Darwin’s taxidermy teacher”; Mary Seacole, a Black British woman who was an “empathetic entrepreneur”; Ethel Scott, a Black British woman who was a “sensational sprinter”; and many more. 

Alison’s signature conversational style makes the stories of these amazing people come alive. I love her little note at the end of the introduction after mentioning the Black in time pun: “In the audiobook, this is where you’ll hear me laughing!” Anyone who has heard Alison, especially when she interviews celebrities, will be able to hear her voice and her laugh even when reading the print version of the book! The inspiration for the book came from Alison’s curiosity (which she calls being nosy), and that curiosity permeates every part of the book. It’s history like you’ve never learned it before – not just because stories of Black Britons in history are so rarely known but also because of Alison’s obvious delight in all the weird twists and turns of history and people’s lives.  

Speech bubbles interrupt the main text so that Alison can comment on details she finds interesting (or horrifying). When she talks about Septimius allowing Roman soldiers to marry, she comments, “What a romantic, eh?”, and when she introduces Phillis Wheatley’s publication of An Elegiac Poem on the Death of the Celebrated Divine George Whitefield, she winks at the reader with the comment: “they didn’t really have snappy titles back in those days.” Even without these often-hilarious asides, the stories of each person are filled with a sense of wonder at all the amazing things these Black Britons accomplished, the hardships many had to overcome, and the trails they’ve blazed for Black Britons today. 

 ”Fact files” add context to help the reader understand the historical situation each person faced, and a list of resources – fiction, nonfiction, and websites – gives some ideas for continuing exploration of “the most awesome Black Britons from yesterday to today”. Fantastic illustrations by @Tinuke.illustration throughout the book add to the experience and spark imagination as well. 

In addition to stories of great Black British people from the past, interviews with great Black British people from “here and now” are sprinkled throughout the book, including Olympic gold medallist boxing champ Nicola Adams, actor Adrian Lester, and author Malorie Blackman. Alison asks them about their inspirations, experiences, and advice for young readers who might want to follow in their footsteps. A whirlwind trip through time, Black in Time is fun and informative – a great read! 

Black in Time
Written by Alison Hammond and Emma Norry
2022, Penguin Random House
ISBN: 9780241532317
Reviews: Melan Magazine

Dainy Bernstein studies and writes about youth literature, particularly ultra-Orthodox Jewish children’s and teens’ literature, religion in youth literature, and fantasy. Eir favorite genres are fantasy and historical fiction, especially when they feature strong female or nonbinary leads, anti-racist narratives, and queer love and joy. Ey loves crafting and bullet journaling, long lazy walks in the park, rain and rainbows, and trying every kind of tea available. 

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GLLI’s 2024 International YA Literature Month has been curated by Dr Emily Corbett. She is a lecturer in children’s and young adult literature at Goldsmiths, University of London, where she leads the MA Children’s Literature: Theoretical Approaches to Children’s and Young Adult Literature programme. Her research focuses on the growth and development of YA from literary, publishing, and cultural perspectives. She is also General Editor of The International Journal of Young Adult Literature and was founding Vice President of the YA Studies Association. Her monograph, In Transition: Young Adult Literature and Transgender Representation (2024), is forthcoming with the University Press of Mississippi in June. You can find her contact details on her institutional website and connect with her on Twitter and Instagram via @DrEmilyCorbett.

Opinions expressed in posts on this site are the individual author’s and are not indicative of the views of Global Literature in Libraries Initiative.