Richard Hart's concise and accessible history of the peoples of the English-speaking West Indies spans five centuries, from the early days of settlement, through colonisation to the achievement of political independence.

Covering all the larger territories Hart focuses on the key events, significant political and social movements and prominent figures in the region's history. He looks at the slave trade and its overwhelming social and economic legacy during the last two centuries, and at the growth and structure of colonial resistance.

Hart also considers the impact of colonial legislation and the effects of constitutional change on non-whites of the region, and their struggle for enfranchisement and self determination.