The Good, the Black and the Boujee
How Black Britain Became Middle Class
Format:Hardback
Publisher:John Murray Press
Publishing:30th Jul '26
£25.00
This title is due to be published on 30th July, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

This book provides a profound exploration of the Black elite and the emerging Black middle class in the UK, highlighting their stories and contributions.
This insightful non-fiction work delves into the lives and experiences of the Black elite and the emerging Black middle class in the UK. Through a memoir-led narrative, it highlights the significant yet often overlooked contributions of these groups to British society. The author explores the complexities of identity, class, and race, revealing how the dynamics of the middle class have evolved over the past two decades.
As the traditional class structures in Britain shift, the rise of Black Britons in high-profile industries serves as a testament to their resilience and determination. The book challenges prevailing media narratives that often marginalize these communities, instead offering a platform for their voices and stories. Readers are invited to understand the nuances of class and race, and how they intersect in the lives of Black professionals.
By shedding light on the achievements and challenges faced by these groups, the work aims to foster a greater appreciation for the diversity within Britain's social fabric. It offers a rich exploration of aspirations, struggles, and triumphs, making it a compelling read for anyone interested in contemporary issues of race and class in the UK.
A significant piece of work. -- Diane Abbott
Symeon Brown has delivered a delicious bonfire of Black middle-classness. -- Nels Abbey, author of THINK LIKE A WHITE MAN
Symeon Brown tackles the subject of the Black Middle class with courage, honesty, humour and a passionate investment in the archiving and documenting of the Black presence in Britain. Bypassing the current trend of adopting working class identities or being oblivious to it all, Symeon gets to the heart of the matter: cultural and economic capital. A rigorous and fearless development, and dissection, of the Black Middle Class in Britain. -- Derek Owusu, author of BORDERLINE FICTION
Brown beautifully narratives how the Black middle classes are intimately entangled with Britain's imperial histories, contemporary cultures and political possibilities. -- Dr Adam Elliott-Cooper, contributor to EMPIRE'S ENDGAME
A smart, bold and a brilliant read. In The Good, the Black and the Boujee, Symeon Brown skilfully weaves the personal and political to build a fierce and fearless critique of the quest for social mobility in black Britain . . . Endlessly surprising, thought provoking and challenging with a razor-like focus on why class still matters. -- Jackie Long
ISBN: 9780349702490
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 41g
384 pages