WWII ‘Brown Babies’ | A Hidden History

WWII ‘Brown Babies’ | A Hidden History

Author: National Trust October 10, 2024 Duration: 23:40

Historian David Olusoga tells the story of the children born to white British mothers and black American servicemen during the Second World War, dubbed Britain’s ‘Brown Babies’ in the African American press at the time.  


Carol and Ann, now in their 80s, revisit their childhood home, Holnicote House in Somerset. During the 1940s, the building was used for the care of around 30 children of black GIs, from birth to the age of five.    
  
Carol and Ann were among some 2000 children born in wartime Britain to black GI fathers and white British mothers. Under many pressures including social prejudice and US legislation banning interracial marriage, around half of these children were placed into care.   
  
David also meets experts Prof Lucy Bland and Dr Chamion Caballero, to reveal this little-known history of the Second World War, and how modern DNA testing is helping families search for lost relatives 80 years later. 

You can watch a video of this podcast on National Trust YouTube: ntpodcasts.org/NTP143Video 

Production  
Host: David Olusoga  
Producer: Michelle Douglass 
Sound editor: Jesus Gomez 
Consultants: Lucy Bland, Professor of Social and Cultural History at Anglia Ruskin University, and Dr Chamion Caballero, Director and Co-Founder of The Mixed Museum

Discover more  
  
Find out more about Britain’s ‘Brown Babies’ and hear oral histories, including more from Ann: 
https://mixedmuseum.org.uk/brown-babies/  

Explore the experiences of WWII black GIs in the UK:  
https://mixedmuseum.org.uk/brown-babies/black-gis-in-britain/ 

Read Britain’s ‘Brown Babies’ by Professor Lucy Bland:  
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Britains-%60Brown-Babies-Stories-Children/dp/1526133261 

Discover the Holnicote Estate’s diverse countryside, wildlife and walkways, looked after by the National Trust 
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/somerset/countryside-woodland/explore-holnicote-estate  

Visit the Holnicote House hotel website: 
 https://www.hfholidays.co.uk/country-houses/locations/selworthy-exmoor  
 
If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at podcasts@nationaltrust.org.uk 


There’s a story waiting in every landscape, a secret history woven into the hedgerows and hidden in the soil. Wild Tales | Nature Podcast, brought to you by the National Trust, goes beyond the guidebook to find those narratives. Each episode is a quiet exploration of the intricate connections between the natural world and our own place within it. You might find yourself listening to the surprising biography of a centuries-old oak tree, learning how coastal erosion reveals forgotten chapters of human history, or understanding the subtle language of birdsong at dawn. This isn’t just a catalog of facts; it’s an immersive audio experience that considers the science of a changing ecosystem alongside the cultural traditions it sustains. We visit specific places-ancient woodlands, rugged coastlines, and working farms-to hear directly from the people who know them best: rangers, historians, ecologists, and local communities. The result is a thoughtful collection of stories that change how you see the world outside your window. Tune into this podcast for a deeper sense of connection, a moment of calm reflection, and a renewed appreciation for the wild and historic places that shape our shared story.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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