WWII ‘Brown Babies’ | A Hidden History | National Trust Podcast

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 Professor 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.
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[@TheMixedMuseum]

Such a wonderful episode - delighted we were able to be a part of this.

[@nationaltrustcharity]

Thank you

[@bigjockteabagger]

said nobody ever .

[@sarahsunsetpark]

So grateful to hear that the children had such a happy childhood! So important to be loved as a child! It makes a world a difference! I hope more of the children seeking their African-American fathers find them! And it’s a happy ending for all!❤

[@chrisjones3901]

Thank god for a institution that didn't abuse the children,I can hardly beleive it

[@Festiv-Col-130]

Black Gi’s were based in Tents just along the A39 from the Cross Keys Pub at Norton Fitzwarren servicing the Large Distribution Depot located on Burns Hill in the Village. The White Officers were Housed in Norton Manor whilst the White Gi Soldiers were Housed in Warm Dry Concrete Buildings in Blackdown View across the road from the Depot. There was a story of a dispute between the White Gi’s and Black Gi’s in the local Pub where the locals in Norton Fitzwarren turned on the White Gi’s. A local elderly lady who lived in the village during the war told me about the Black Babies and how poorly Black Gi’s were treated by White Gi’s. Racism has no meaning to me and only came to my attention through American Films in my teenage years. I grew up in Norton Fitzwarren with less than 500 people, there was two families of ethnic background but through my school years never did I ever hear them called the derogatory names I heard in these films.

[@sharynkhan1104]

Thank you National trust for a excellent video.

[@nationaltrustcharity]

Thanks for your very kind words! We're so pleased you enjoyed it

[@Rebecca-le9hn]

The incident you are referring to is the incident at Bamber Bridge.

[@sharynkhan1104]

I never knew about this hotel being a children's home for mixed raced children. I know Exmoor pretty well and didn't know.

[@taiikomochiyuurichin1459]

Some of these "laws" or practices are based on treaty agreements.

[@taiikomochiyuurichin1459]

It would be interesting to learn if these children have rights to US citizenship? Seems very provable with DNA testing.

[@werefree2learn]

I’d be very surprised if these children have ‘automatic’ rights to US citizenship (unless the American father is named on a birth record). I’m American by birth but my parents did not marry and my American birth father was not named on my birth record. I did a dna test verifying who my father was but in the US I have no rights connected to him because he is not on my birth certificate. He died when I was 8 years old. My mother could legally change my birth certificate and add him now, even though I am 57 years old but she will not do so (I had a stepfather who adopted me when I was 9). Hopefully laws will change because of dna tests, giving so many more access to birth parents records and more like citizenship.

[@NilZed1]

@@werefree2learnthe adoption is relevant here too though legally, he is your dad and that means your bio dad has no legal rights over you, or to give you. Even if your dad was alive he couldn’t sponsor you.