Contributors from the worlds of music, politics, the arts and beyond on those who helped shape their beliefs and identities
Lenny Henry
Actor, writer and comedian and the author, with Marcus Ryder, of The Big Payback: The Case for Reparations for Slavery and How They Would Work
Black culture is a dynamic force that continually reshapes my identity and worldview through its art. Two remarkable works that have profoundly influenced me are James and Wounded, both by the brilliant Percival Everett.
I had the privilege of attending the Booker prize ceremony last year, where I was in the same room as Everett. Although he didn’t win for James, the reading by Nonso Anozie was both devastatingly moving and hilariously insightful. Everett is a masterful African-American author who captures the complexities of contemporary Black identity in the US.
