This book contains thirty biographies of mixed-race figures from the past and present. Historical biographies include famous names such as Bob Marley, Mary Seacole and Frederick Douglass, as well as less-known people like Arthur Wharton, the first black professional footballer, Ellen Craft, the runaway slave, and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, the composer.

Contempory people, from England, Scotland and Wales, represent achievements in politics and the arts in Britain today. They include Cleo Lanie, Shirley Bassey, Cathy Tyson and Oona King MP.

A detailed introduction deals with key issues relating to this important subject:

• Should we be using the term 'race'?
• Why does society see mixed-race people as black?
• What is the one-drop rule?
• Why is cultural heritage so important?
• How many mixed race relationships are there?
• What about the children?

There is a select bibliography of books dealing with mixed race and of children's books containing mixed-race characters, along with a list of support groups.