Who are the Windrush generation?
The Windrush generation refers to people who came to Britain from Caribbean countries between 1948 and 1971 to help rebuild the country after World War II. The name comes from the ship HMT Empire Windrush, which arrived at Tilbury in 1948.
The Empire Windrush arrived on 22 June 1948, carrying around 1,000 passengers, many from Jamaica and Trinidad. They had been invited to fill labor shortages.
Caribbean migrants worked in the National Health Service, public transport and industry. They faced racism and discrimination in housing and employment.
The Windrush scandal
In 2018, it emerged that many people of the Windrush generation had been wrongly detained, deported or denied services because they lacked documents proving their legal status.
The scandal led to the resignation of Home Secretary Amber Rudd and a compensation scheme for those affected.
Windrush Day is celebrated on 22 June each year to honor the contributions of Caribbean migrants to British society.
The Windrush generation helped shape modern British culture, including music, food and the Notting Hill Carnival.
A national monument was unveiled at Waterloo station in 2022.