Stephen Bourne Books

During the Second World War, black volunteers from across the British Empire enthusiastically joined the armed forces and played their part in fighting Nazi Germany and its allies.

The trials and triumphs of Britain's black community during the Second World War

The story of Black British theatre at its most radical, entertaining and profound - told through the lives of its great trailblazers

A short, compelling history of Black Britons during the First World War, for readers aged 8 to 12

A long overdue exploration of gay representation on British TV from its 'golden age' to the launch of the liberal Channel 4

"From her stage debut in 1922 to her final professional appearance in 1996, Elisabeth Welch was an important figure in the world of popular song. In 1923 she launched the Charleston, and throughout the Jazz Age she was associated with some of the great names of the Harlem Renaissance, including Josephine Baker, Adelaide Hall, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, and Ethel Waters. On Broadway she popularized Cole Porter's scandalous "Love for Sale," and in 1933 she introduced "Stormy Weather" to British audiences. That same year she began a career in English musical theatre (Cole Porter's Nymph Errant) that lasted sixty years."

A fully revised and updated edition of a vitally important piece of black British history

Focusing on the life and career of a groundbreaking female blues and jazz singer, the biography highlights her significant contributions to 20th-century theatre, cinema, radio, and television. Despite her immense influence during the 1920s and 1930s, she has largely been forgotten. Stephen Bourne provides new insights into her legacy, supported by fourteen photographs, illustrating why she was once revered as the preeminent Black star of her time.

The narrative highlights the life and career of Nina Mae McKinney, often overlooked in film history despite being recognized as Hollywood's first Black movie star. Stephen Bourne presents an intimate exploration of her journey, celebrating her talent and charisma while addressing the challenges she faced in the industry. This biography aims to restore her legacy and acknowledge her contributions to cinema, shedding light on a remarkable yet forgotten figure in Hollywood's past.

Commemorating the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush, Stephen Bourne’s War to Windrush explores the lives of Britain’s immigrant community through the experiences of Black British women during the period spanning from the beginning of World War II to the arrival of the Empire Windrush in 1948. In those short years, Black British women performed integral roles in keeping the country functioning and set the stage for the arrival of other black Britons on the MV Empire Windrush. The book shows first-hand what life was like in Britain for black women through photography and evocative prose. War to Windrush retraces the history of those women who helped to build the great, multicultural Britain we know today. It is a celebration of multiculturalism and immigration, much needed in today’s political climate.