The English Griot – Roger Griffith is now on Substack!
Many years ago, I learned about the history of West African storytellers, the Griots, who told oral histories to their people. In modern times, I first consciously linked this to the lyrics of songs, which were and still are as important as the music. This was an inspiration to my work, providing joy for a young Black man growing up in Britain, confused by my identity and the racism that came with it. I continued to follow these modern griots and their ancestral legacy in spoken and written word, film, theatre, art, photography, and, of course, history. I have been honoured to follow this tradition across several books, articles and blogs on this site, and also in spoken-word as a presenter and chair at the award-winning Ujima Radio.
Now I welcome you to my Substack newsletter. The English Griot provides an opportunity to share my two worlds.
The Griot traditions from West Africa were taken and shipped to the Caribbean, where my ancestors gained freedom, before Mum and Dad came to England as Windrush pioneers. As a proud son of the Windrush Generation, my life has been shaped at the intersection of cultures, continents, and connections, unpicking the knots of race, discrimination, and prejudice into racial equality, social justice, and equity for all.
In my latter years, I have come to embrace the two worlds and contradictions that stare back at me from my mirror. I am born in England, but call myself British. The colour of my skin is brown, yet I’m politically Black, bridging the two worlds through a multifaceted diaspora. Only the gatekeepers and border guards of identity seek to lay hurdles or traps to navigate. Identity, whether through DNA or migration, is in the soul of the beholder.
This Substack is my notebook and platform. Where global history intersects with personal reflections.
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My American Summer Odyssey 2026
Dispatches from the English Griot. My American Summer Odyssey: 2026 Roger Griffith English Griot I’m writing this from the airport, about to return home after two wonderful months in the USA. I’m contemplating an unforgettable coast-to-coast American summer. What began as a journey to immerse myself in World Cup football…
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The English Griot
Welcome to The English Griot: My Storyteller’s Legacy Many years ago, I learned about the history of West African storytellers, the Griots, who told oral histories to their people. In modern times, I first consciously linked this to the lyrics of songs, which were and still are as important as…
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The Demand For Racial Equality And Environmental Justice
Roger Griffith and Gnisha Bevan’s joint essay ‘The Demand For Racial Equality And Environmental Justice: Learning from Bristol’s Black and Green Programme’ appears in the book Diversity and Inclusion in Environmentalism, edited by Karen Bell. The book, published June 2021, discusses how to develop green transitions which benefit, include and…
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Crossing Coasts: Windrush Citizenship and Compensation Initiative
Crossing Coasts was a Windrush Citizenship and Compensation Initiative project focused on recognising the contributions of the Windrush Generation and the injustices they and others have faced. Launched in 2022, it built on Roger’s previous work with the lead organisation My Future My Choice working on educational initiatives and hosting…
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My Life on Screen: How Cinema Shaped My Life
This blog is a shortened extract of my essay, featured in the Bristol Ideas book “Opening Up the Magic Box: Friese-Greene and Reflections on Film,” exploring the profound impact of cinema. ‘Film has been a constant companion throughout my life, a powerful force that has shaped my understanding of the…
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Roger Griffith: A Journey of Life-Long Learning
Roger was proud to share his life-long learning journey in his acclaimed TedXBristol talk in November 2023. From leaving school at 15 years old without qualifications to being awarded an honorary arts doctorate from UWE Bristol, where he teaches future generations and advises leaders. His story is a testament to…
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Co-curating Colston: confronting Bristol’s history at UWE
The fallen statue of slave trader Edward Colston is among the items on display at M Shed’s newly extended exhibition about the history of protest in Bristol. Black Lives Matter marches in June 2020 saw protestors pull down the statue and throw it into the floating harbour. It was then…
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Dreams of My Fathers: A Future Stage-Play by Roger Griffith
James Baldwin’s powerful words, ‘History is not the past. It is the present. We carry our history with us. We are our history. If we pretend otherwise, we are literally criminals,’ embodies the themes of my first stage-play. Dreams of My Fathers is a theatrical exploration of Barack Obama’s presidency,…
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Confronting Our Darkest Secrets
Boyz Weekend: A Future Novel by Roger Griffith Boyz Weekend isn’t your typical lads’ weekend away. It’s a confrontation with the past. A reckoning with unresolved trauma. It’s an exploration of masculinity that delves into the complex and destructive dynamics of male friendship and betrayal. Imagine The Hangover colliding with…
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James Baldwin 100
Roger was commissioned to celebrate the life of the great American author James Baldwin on the 100th anniversary of his birth by Bristol Ideas.His article entitled Truthsayer is here: James Baldwin: Truthsayer
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Emblaze, Bath Spa University: A New Chapter in My Writing Journey
I’m thrilled to announce my involvement in Emblaze, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at supporting Black and Ethnically diverse writers. This new venture continues my work with Paper Nations as its Governance Chair and builds upon my experiences as a writer, educator, and social entrepreneur. As someone who navigated the publishing…
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Why Black History Month Matters
‘If a race has no History it has no worthwhile tradition. It becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.’ So said Dr Carter G Woodson who is the originator of Black History Month (BHM) across the African Diaspora.…
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My Cultural Review of 2020 part two: Nos 11-20
No11: Icon. David OlusogaI could award this for his Twitter feed alone. In a year of racial reckoning his insights and cultural crusade stood strong. Book. Talks. Essays. Bristol TV series https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b09l64y9/a-house-through-time and the BBC Obama interview. Peerless. No12: News. Christine Amanpour. CNNAn extraordinary year at home and abroad with…
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My Cultural Review of 2020 part one: No 1-10
No one needs reminding what an unforgettable year this has been. 2020 was the year health, race and economic pandemics joined the environmental pandemic a set of crises that I hope we will spend our futures overcoming collectively.Culture still stands strong as something that unites us all to enrich our…
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Windrush Generations: Digital Community Legacy Project
Students and community members are being invited to help celebrate the Windrush Generation in Bristol in a joint project working with the local community from UWE Bristol. The collaboration will involve students working alongside generations of Caribbean community members to record and document the stories related to their lives in…