I'm looking to move to the UK,wondering how black people are treated here in comparison to the southern US

Question

I'm an ROV pilot thinking of moving my family to the UK.

Answer 1

Hello Blade, I think I can understand your concerns particularly as you are thinking of moving the whole family with you. Mind you,I find that having a family group (particularly young children) really does help me getting to know and integrating with the natives' here in the South West of England. Somebody in one of the replies above called the people in this area of the UK 'red necks'...well I have travelled through Redneck County USA and I would not like the 'redneck label' to be given to the lovely english county *Devon* which is now my adoptive home. I am a white southern european female who has settled in a tiny Westcountry village and when I first moved here I got stared at a lot ...they are just not used to strangers around here...if you came along you would be doubly stared at because of the colour of your skin there is no doubt about it, but the people would be horrified to think of themselves as racist. I find there is a lot of stereotypical thinking in the english countryside and amongst farming people, a lot of it is down to simple lack of exposure to diversity...a bit of negative stereotyping and prejudice, particularly about black people and people from Asia, is rooted in the colonial past and the days of the British Empire (long gone), there is an element of British arrogance too...but this is tempered by the most fantastic sense of humour and ability to poke fun at themselves. You also notice some very politically incorrect terminology used by the older generation. However I work with older people in this area, mainly white british ethnicity, and most are very interested in my background...some have never met an Italian...but then again some have only ever travelled to the nearest little market town in their entire life! I become more and more convinced that the biggest factor on the issue of attitudes towards .
'difference' is not measurable looking at countries, but rather by looking at the different perspectives of town and country people.
Wishing you all the very best in your adventure.

Answer 2

Nowhere is free from racism I guess, but, on the whole, I think the UK is a fairly respectful place.

There is an overtly racist political party - the British National Party (BNP), but they are very much at the fringes of British politics - unlike the French counterpart.

Most UK cities are pretty diverse with people coming from many different ethnic backgrounds, particularly from India, Pakistan, West Indies and Ireland, although in rural areas "white anglo-saxon protestants" still predominate. There are some racially motivated attacks in the UK (one or two even by police officers), but these tend to take place in areas which have the highest crime rate anyway.

Most of the mistrust and hatred in the UK that there is, is directed towards asylum seekers, gypsies/travellers, muslims and those who can't/don't speak the language.

But someone coming from the US, black or white, should do fine.

Answer 3

You meet the occasional idiot everywhere, but in general you'll find people are fine. You may have more problems with being American since the Iraq War and the idiocies of Bush. Not that anyone will be the slightest bit violent, tho you may get the occasional sarcastic comment.

In general the UK is less violent - the chances of violence are vanishingly small, unless you hang around outside pubs at chucking out time. The chances of being robbed are much higher (although still low outside big cities) since the British will steal anything not nailed down.

Answer 4

If you are feeling uncomfortable in the southern U.S. today then
you must have an inferiority complex. Segregation ended many years ago and you damn well know it. Maybe a trip to the U.K.
would make you appreciate the U.S. I am sure you will be welcomed with open arms since the U.K. has never been race or class conscious.
You sound like a very troubled person. Have you ever sought counseling? It might help.

P.S. your nom de plume may explain part of your problem.

Answer 5

I say move my friend, we don't grow weirdfruit here so you're OK, generally people will treat you as they find you. If your nice to them they are nice to you. I would stay away from the south west of the country though as they tend to be against immigrants of any colour or creed moving there (although they are our version of rednecks I guess!) Come over for a vacation first but get into the countryside and away from the cities, real England exists in the country so you will get a better picture there.

generally though its who you are and how you treat people that counts here although our young blacks have bad reputations because they try to copy American gang culture, often looking very silly in the process.

Answer 6

hi, im from the UK and i travel alot!and i find that UK (not being biased) are not as racist as most places. of course you get the idiots with no brain to think that colour matters but most are normal. no racism or judgment. the nearer London you are the more multicultural it is. although where i live near a place called Bristol is very mutlicultural and alot cheaper!
my brazilian family went to Tennessey for sometime and they kept saying how the people are very friendly there, although they also went to New York and they were so racist about them, so it depends where abouts you move to. good luck!dont let it put you off though coz all the world can be racist, you got t think its those people who are stupid idoits who are just dont have a brain!

Answer 7

I'm from the UK and I think that you would be treated the same as everyone else, it is against the law here to be racial and is taken very seriously if anyone is.
I have also been to Louisiana, i didnt see or hear any racial prejudice but what i did notice was the fact that white and black people did not really mix. I went to a local pub with a friend of mine who is US army but latin American, when we walked in i did notice people looking at us, i actually thought they were staring at me because i'd never been there before but my friend said it was because he was latino. They were ok but it was like they just werent used to having non-white people there.
I have never been anywhere in Britain especially England and confronted with a situation like that.

Answer 8

what shade of black? or did you mean ethnicly diverse from the indigenous aboriginal, ie anglo saxon, and anyway these septered isles are a diverse melting pot of many races there is no true bloodline so coming from these isles , and never experienced the cultural affect of the us , i would hazard a guess that your own predjuidece might hamper a great move, , if you want a truely honest response try putting the county name in your question, that way you can wake up the narrow minded angles.you see we have a great country, with generous honest people, who dont care what colour creed or religeous persuasion you are, but like your country we do have our fair share of bigots.

Answer 9

Depends where you go? London is very multicultural. But with any place there is always some prejudice, to be honest I have lived here all my life and have not seen that much racism - ofcourse you will always get the one or two idiots. Can't say much about rest of UK - but I love London and the people in it.

Answer 10

let me ask you a question, how would a white english man be treated at your home,

i dont know what its like were you live regarding racism, but your talking as if being black is like being second class, liverpool is mostly white irish families, and we do have a black community, but if there is white families living in a black community there wouldent be a issue and if a black family was living in a white area there wouldent be a problem there either,


there isnt a problem here really, obviously there might be a few little dickheads, but i havent seen any one walking round with a white cloak over threre head lately,