First Born Second: Voices of the Children of the Windrush Era

When the Windrush pioneers answered the call to help rebuild post-war Britain, their children—the “First-Born”, known as the “Second Generation”—turned trauma into triumph. They changed the face of a nation, overcoming a clash of cultures and continents.

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Michelle Pascal and co-produced by writer and curator Roger Griffith MBE, First Born Second: Voices of the Children of the Windrush Era is a raw, triumphant and personal documentary exploring the joys and pain of growing up Black in 1970s and 80s Britain.

They navigated racial flashpoints, including street skinheads and discriminatory “SUS Laws”, and broke historic barriers on Olympic tracks, in television newsrooms and within the police force. Seven voices—Professor Shawn Sobers, Sherrie Eugene-Hart, Latoyah McAllister-Jones, Beverly Douglas, Delroy Hibbert, Vernon Samuels and Roger Griffith—share their unapologetic journeys from the shadows of the Windrush era to the frontlines of cultural leadership and creative expression in Bristol, a vibrant city with its own troubled history. They wear their successes and scars with dignity and pride. This insightful feature provides a fresh legacy for future generations and for those seeking to understand multicultural Britain, then and now. 

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