Politics have been the constant backdrop for the poetry of Black Britain. Even Black poets who would not normally call themselves political have written political poetry, or poetry that comes out of their struggle. This poetry anthology brings both pivotal moments and the everyday lived experience of Black people in Britain within one volume.

Some of the poets in Black Radical were just passing through Britain, some migrated here and others were born here. This anthology brings together poetry from poet laureates such as Jackie Kay, prize-winning poets such as Fred D'Aguiar, internationally renowned poets such as Linton Kwesi Johnson, leaders and activists such as Marcus Garvey, John La Rose and Una Marson; there are also a significant number of poets in the community whose stories of everyday struggle have until now remained unpublished and unheard.

Black Radical brings the history of Black people in Britain to life through a breadth of poetry to demonstrate that one thing is for certain: we have struggled. Yet, the undercurrent of the anthology is one that celebrates survival.