The Indo-Caribbean Windrush Oral History Project aims to document and preserve the life stories of Indo-Caribbeans who migrated during and in the aftermath of the Windrush era (1948-1971), as well as their descendants. This project recognises that the experiences of Indo-Caribbeans are often overlooked in contemporary Windrush media, art, and memorialisation (including the 75th anniversary of HMT Empire Windrush’s arrival).
Indo-Caribbeans living in the United Kingdom, or those who have previously lived in the country, are encouraged to get in touch via email at indocaribbeanwindrush@
The term ‘Indo-Caribbean’ refers to individuals from the Caribbean whose ancestry traces back to the Indian subcontinent. This includes individuals descended from indentured labourers from British India, as well as people who immigrated in the 19th and 20th centuries as businesspeople, doctors, engineers, merchants, religious leaders, and students. The term is not limited to these groups and encompasses people of mixed heritage.
Windrush-era migration is often defined as migration between 1948 and 1971 from Commonwealth societies to the United Kingdom. This is framed by the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush in 1948 and the 1971 Immigration Act that gave Commonwealth citizens “indefinite leave to remain” in the United Kingdom. However, our project adopts a broader perspective of ‘Windrush’. We welcome participation from anyone who immigrated to the United Kingdom before 1990, and/or their descendants.