A court trumpeter. A silk weaver. A salvage diver. A circumnavigator…

A common misconception both that people of African origin were absent from European countries till after the end of World War II, or, if their presence is acknowledged, it is assumed they were enslaved. But slavery was not allowed in 16th century England, and it may come as a surprise to readers of this book that hundreds of blacks had a productive and respected presence as free men and women in this time and place. Author Kaufmann provides a unique and intriguing glimpse into the lives of ten black men and women in Tudor England who lived as free English citizens, worked for wages, held an array of diverse and often exciting careers, and were present for some of the most memorable events of the age.

Black Tudors: the Untold Story views this period in English history from a new angle, and readers experience “a different country, where an African could earn a living, marry and have a family, testify in a court of law, or even whip an Englishman with impunity.”

Alison M.