Why did Floella Benjamin come to England?

In 1960, Floella Benjamin traveled to England, specifically Beckenham, Kent, to be reunited with her family.

Previously, her father, “a policeman and a talented jazz musician,” emigrated to Britain, and her mother later joined him, along with Benjamin’s younger sister and youngest brother; the four older children were left in the care of family friends, with Benjamin and her older sister, Sandra, being separated from their brothers.

The people who were in charge of Benjamin and her sister were secretly abusive.

Benjamin and her sister frequently attempted to write to their parents to inform them of the abuse, but the letters were always read and censored before being sent.

Interestingly, she wrote a book called Coming to England in which she detailed her childhood experiences.

She wrote the book because her children frequently asked her about her childhood.

Benjamin has spoken about her racist experiences as an immigrant in Britain, such as with neighbors and at school.