'This book is rare in its mastery of the constant historical contradiction: range and at the same time event. Two thousand years is a long time; Fryer never loses his grip in time or place' CLR James'For this retrieval of the lost histories of black Britain Mr Fryer has my deep gratitude. An invaluable book, which manages the rare feat of combining scholarship with readability' Salman RushdieStaying Power is recognised as the definitive history of black people in Britain, an epic story that begins with the Roman conquest and continues to this day. In a comprehensive account, Peter Fryer reveals how Africans, Asians and their descendants, previously hidden from history, have profoundly influenced and shaped events in Britain over the course of the last two thousand years.