S. I. Martin (born 24 April 1961) is a British author, historian, journalist and teacher, specialising in Black British history and literature. [1] [2] [3] He wrote Britain's Slave Trade for Channel 4 Books to accompany the channel's television documentary Windrush, a novel, Incomparable World, charting the progress of three black exiles living in 18th-century London, and has written works of fiction for children to widen the consciousness and knowledge of the slave trade. [1] Aside from authorship, Martin actively promotes the knowledge of Black British history through his work with London schools, [4] borough councils, [5] English Heritage, the National Maritime Museum, the Museum of London, the Museum of London Docklands, the Imperial War Museum and the Public Record Office. [6]
Martin is a patron of Humanists UK. [7]
Steven Ian Martin was born on 24 April 1961 in Bedford, England, [1] [8] his parents settled having arrived in Britain from Antigua in 1954, and Martin received his education at Bedford Modern School. [8]
Martin's work is focused on Black British history and literature. [1] [2] In particular he wished to redress the lack of published history on the presence of black people in Britain before the arrival of HMT Windrush in 1948. [8] [5] His subsequent journalism, teaching, writing and scholarly work has addressed that lacuna, including his walking tours of London demonstrating "500 Years of Black London". [6] [2]
Martin's first novel, Incomparable World (1996), charts the fate of three black exiles living in 18th-century London. [9] His work of non-fiction, Britain's Slave Trade, was written for Channel 4 to tie in with its four-part documentary series, Windrush, produced by Trevor Phillips. [10]
In 2007 Martin's novel for children, Jupiter Williams, was published. [11] It tells a contradictory tale of privilege and dispossession of a boy who lives at the African Academy in Clapham, London in 1800, the son of a wealthy Sierra Leone family. [12] Cesar Picton is a character in the novel. [13] The sequel, Jupiter Amidships, was published in 2009 and follows Jupiter and his brother who are trapped by a pressgang before boarding their home ship to Sierra Leone. [14]
Aside from authorship, Martin actively promotes the knowledge of Black British history through his work with London schools, [4] English Heritage, borough councils, [5] the National Maritime Museum, the Museum of London, the Museum of London Docklands, the Imperial War Museum, the Public Record Office [6] [15] and the Black Cultural Archives. [16]
Martin lives and works in South London. [1]
S. I. Martin (born 24 April 1961) is a British author, historian, journalist and teacher, specialising in Black British history and literature. [1] [2] [3] He wrote Britain's Slave Trade for Channel 4 Books to accompany the channel's television documentary Windrush, a novel, Incomparable World, charting the progress of three black exiles living in 18th-century London, and has written works of fiction for children to widen the consciousness and knowledge of the slave trade. [1] Aside from authorship, Martin actively promotes the knowledge of Black British history through his work with London schools, [4] borough councils, [5] English Heritage, the National Maritime Museum, the Museum of London, the Museum of London Docklands, the Imperial War Museum and the Public Record Office. [6]
Martin is a patron of Humanists UK. [7]
Steven Ian Martin was born on 24 April 1961 in Bedford, England, [1] [8] his parents settled having arrived in Britain from Antigua in 1954, and Martin received his education at Bedford Modern School. [8]
Martin's work is focused on Black British history and literature. [1] [2] In particular he wished to redress the lack of published history on the presence of black people in Britain before the arrival of HMT Windrush in 1948. [8] [5] His subsequent journalism, teaching, writing and scholarly work has addressed that lacuna, including his walking tours of London demonstrating "500 Years of Black London". [6] [2]
Martin's first novel, Incomparable World (1996), charts the fate of three black exiles living in 18th-century London. [9] His work of non-fiction, Britain's Slave Trade, was written for Channel 4 to tie in with its four-part documentary series, Windrush, produced by Trevor Phillips. [10]
In 2007 Martin's novel for children, Jupiter Williams, was published. [11] It tells a contradictory tale of privilege and dispossession of a boy who lives at the African Academy in Clapham, London in 1800, the son of a wealthy Sierra Leone family. [12] Cesar Picton is a character in the novel. [13] The sequel, Jupiter Amidships, was published in 2009 and follows Jupiter and his brother who are trapped by a pressgang before boarding their home ship to Sierra Leone. [14]
Aside from authorship, Martin actively promotes the knowledge of Black British history through his work with London schools, [4] English Heritage, borough councils, [5] the National Maritime Museum, the Museum of London, the Museum of London Docklands, the Imperial War Museum, the Public Record Office [6] [15] and the Black Cultural Archives. [16]
Martin lives and works in South London. [1]