My strong impression is that American Blacks could live in France back then without facing discrimination. Probably same in England. I don't know how it was in other countries.
My strong impression is that American Blacks could live in France back then without facing discrimination. Probably same in England. I don't know how it was in other countries.
I think England was considerably behind the rest of Europe in these matters (especially France...think guys like Sidney Bechet). an English friend once told me about the old and very regrettable expression "w**s start at Calais."
other English friends have told me that racial attitudes (including feelings about people from India) in the UK started to shift considerably with the large influx of West Indians in the fifties.
but certainly, there were no Jim Crow-type situations in Europe during the war. on that level, things were a lot less racialized than they were (and continue to be in some places) HERE.
My strong impression is that American Blacks could live in France back then without facing discrimination. Probably same in England. I don't know how it was in other countries.
You're right. When white MPs hassled black GIs in England, English people came out and defended them.
I think England was considerably behind the rest of Europe in these matters (especially France...think guys like Sidney Bechet). an English friend once told me about the old and very regrettable expression "w**s start at Calais."
other English friends have told me that racial attitudes (including feelings about people from India) in the UK started to shift considerably with the large influx of West Indians in the fifties.
but certainly, there were no Jim Crow-type situations in Europe during the war. on that level, things were a lot less racialized than they were (and continue to be in some places) HERE.