The Comintern and Black Workers in Britain and France 1919–37

Abstract

This paper looks at the attempts of the Communist international to organise amongst African and Caribbean workers in Europe, and particularly in France and Britain during the inter-war period. It locates these attempts within the overall objectives of the Comintern to organise all workers, to organise in the colonies and to address what was referred to at that time as the ‘Negro Question’ – that is the liberation of all those of African descent. The paper particularly highlights the role of communists of African and Caribbean origin and the organisations they formed. It suggests that a sense of belonging was connected with political organising and that for black workers their sense of belonging could also include identifying with other workers and a sense of class allegiance. The role of the communists was to encourage the founding of some of the first workers' organisations amongst the African diaspora in Europe and to provide an ideology to that sought to unite all workers.