| Total population |
|---|
| Scotland 8,025 (2001)[1] Black Caribbean - 1,778 Black African - 5,118 Black Scottish/Other Black - 1,129 |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Coatbridge |
| Languages |
|
English (Scottish English, British English, Black British English, Caribbean English, African English), African languages, others |
| Religion |
|
Christianity, Islam, Rastafarian, others |
Black people in Scotland represent a small proportion (0.16% according to the 2001 census, although as of 2011 this number is likely to be much higher) of the country's overall population, although the Black population of Scotland has a long history.
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A farfetched theory has been advanced by people who evidently aren't historians or Gaelic-speaking that King Kenneth III of Scotland belonged to the Moors. This led to his election as #36 on the list of 100 Great Black Britons, even though there was no sense of British nationality at the time.[2] Connections between Scotland and the Moors are unknown, although there is no doubt that in Gaelic his title of 'Dubh' did not refer to his skin colour, as it usually refers to hair colour rather than skin tone in Scottish Gaelic.[3] In addition, his father was known as Dubh, therefore making his title likely to be denoting ancestry as much as hair colour or race.
Scottish 'Tobacco Lords' played a leading role in the slave trade and by 1817 it was estimated that one third of all slaves in Jamaica were held by these Scots.[4] This role in slavery led to the first significant documented Black population in Scotland, as slave owners brought slaves back to serve as household servants. In some cases, slaves were freed through manumission.[5]
According to the 2001 UK Census people self described as Caribbean, African, Black Scottish or any other Black background make up 0.16 per cent of Scotland's population, compared to 1.96 per cent of the overall UK population.[6][7]
A report in 2000 suggested that Black people in Scotland had difficulties in feeling a sense of Scottish identity,[8] whilst there has also been criticism that Black people are not well represented in Scottish society generally.[9]
The British Guiana-born Andrew Watson is widely considered to be the world's first black association footballer to play at international level.[10][11][12] He was capped three times for Scotland between 1881 and 1882. Watson also played for Queen's Park, the leading Scottish club at the time, and later became their secretary. He led the team to several Scottish Cup wins, thus becoming the first black player to win a major competition.[12]
With some brief exceptions, such as Jamaican Gil Heron at Celtic, Walter Tull signing for Rangers, and John Walker at Hearts, Black players largely disappeared from Scottish football for the next 100 hundred years until the arrival of Mark Walters at Rangers in 1988. Walters arrival at the club resulted in incidents of racial abuse.[13][14]
Subsequently a number of Black players have appeared for leading clubs, listed below. The Scotland national team did not call up a second Black player until Nigel Quashie, an English-born midfielder whose grandfather was from Scotland, made his debut against Estonia in May 2004.[15] Subsequently Coatbridge native Chris Iwelumo, who is half-Nigerian, has also played for Scotland. Other notable black players include:
Alongside these a number of other non-Scots have made an impact on the game in Scotland. These include:
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