The arrival of Steve McQueen‘s five films combined into the miniseries Small Axe is timely with a rise in protests against racism last year. Each film focuses on systemic racism prevalent in the 1970s and 80s in Britain, but perhaps Mangrove most resembles the current situation.
Before its gentrification in the late 20th-century, Notting Hill, London was home to many Black citizens, and the Mangrove restaurant became an important meeting space for the Black community. Ever since its opening in…