People, Places, Events   

Dr John Anthony Roberts QC (17 May 1928 - 26 June 2016) was born in Sierra Leone. He is the first person of African ancestry to be made a QC in England and Wales.

Dame Donna Kinnair, DBE, was born in 1960 or 1961 is a British nurse and former Chief Executive and General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). She has specialised in child protection, providing leadership in major hospital trusts in London, teaching, and advising on legal and governmental committees.

As the Italian invasion of Ethiopia unfolded in October 1935, Tsehai's father, Emperor Haile Selassie, made the difficult decision to send his wife and children, including Tsehai, to England for their safety. They settled in Bath, where Tsehai served as an interpreter for her parents and became a passionate advocate for her country. She tirelessly worked to rally international support against the Italian occupation, using her position as a spokesperson to shed light on the pl

Born in Jamestown, Ghana in 1865, Arthur "Kwame" Wharton was a true sporting pioneer and trailblazer. In 1883, he made the bold decision to move to England and pursue his dreams of becoming a missionary at Cleveland College in Darlington. Little did he know that this move would set him on a path to greatness in the world of sports.

James Samuel Risien Russell, (1863 – 1939) a prominent neurologist and esteemed professor, holds a significant place in the medical history of Britain. Often, the narrative of Black physicians in the country begins with the Windrush migration after World War II, but it is crucial to acknowledge the pioneering contributions of earlier West Indian doctors like Russell.

‘Brown Babies’: The children born to black GI and white British women during the Second World War In January 1942, after the US had entered the war, a large number of American servicemen (known as GIs) were shipped to Britain. Over the next three years approximately 3 million GIs passed through the country, of which approximately 8% were African-American.

Mural Commemorating 1977 Battle of Lewisham On the 13th August 1977, a disturbing event unfolded in the vibrant streets of south-east London. A group of 500 individuals belonging to the neo-Nazi National Front embarked on a march from New Cross to Catford, fueled by their deep-rooted hatred for the multiculturalism that had flourished in this area. However, their intentions were swiftly met with fierce opposition from a resolute crowd of 4,000 counter-protestors.

Helen Wilson-Roe, a talented Black artist hailing from Bristol, possesses a diverse range of artistic skills including sculpture, painting, installation making, and documentary filmmaking. Her artistic practice delves into the profound themes of Racism-Exploitation-Genocide-Bristol and the Transatlantic Traffic in Enslaved Africans, shedding light on the historical and contemporary struggles faced by marginalised communities.

Cleo Lake, elected Lord Mayor of Bristol for the 2018-2019 term, brought a unique blend of experiences and passions to her role. Not only as a former actress and activist, but also as an artist who believes strongly in the principles of 'inclusion' and 'representation'. Growing up in Easton and serving as the Green councillor for Cotham, Cleo has dedicated a decade of her life as the dance troupe leader of the Malcolm X Elders Forum.