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John Lewis, born on 21 February 1940 in rural Alabama, was a prominent civil rights leader and politician known for his tireless activism, dedication to social justice, and unwavering commitment to nonviolent protest. As the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and a leader of the historic Selma March, John Lewis left an …
Claudia Jones was a feminist, political activist, pioneering journalist, and visionary. She is known for being the ‘Mother of Caribbean Carnival in Britain’. Early years Claudia Jones was born on 21 February 1915 in Belmont, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. At the age of eight, her family emigrated to Harlem, New York, following the post-war cocoa price crash …
George Arthur Roberts was a remarkable man who made significant contributions to British society and the armed forces. Born in Trinidad, he travelled to the UK and became one of the first black men to join the British Army. Throughout his life, George Arthur Roberts fought for equality and made a lasting impact on his …
Olive Morris was a political activist and key figure in the fight for black women’s rights in Britain during the 1970s. In her short life, Morris raised awareness of inequalities by travelling, writing, organising protests, and setting up support groups. Her tireless efforts to combat racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression left an indelible …
Miss Read (17 April 1913 – 7 April 2012) Miss Read was the pen name of Dora Saint, who wrote over thirty books from the mid-1950s to the mid-1990s. Dora Jessie Shafe was born on 17 April 1913 in South Norwood, London, the youngest of three daughters of Arthur Shafe and his wife Grace Read. …
Sybil Phoenix is a community leader who has devoted her life to helping other people, especially in Lewisham, the town she made home. Early years She was born Sybil Theodora Marshall on 21 June 1927 in Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana). Sybil’s mother died when she was nine, and, as her father worked in the …
Lewisham’s famous women: Rosa May Billinghurst ( 1875 – 1953) Rosa May Billinghurst (commonly known as May Billinghurst) was born on 31 May 1875 at 35 Granville Park, Lewisham. She was the second of nine children. Her father, Henry Billinghurst, was a banker. Her mother, Rosa Brinsmead, was the daughter of a wealthy piano manufacturer. …
Lewisham’s famous women: Clemence Dane (1888-1965) Clemence Dane was born Winifred Ashton on 21 February 1888 in Westcombe Park Road, Blackheath. In 1897 the family moved to 22 Westwood Hill, Sydenham in the borough of Lewisham, where they stayed until 1901. During this period young Winifred attended Sydenham High School. Her family then moved out …
Lewisham’s famous women: Eleanor Marx (1855 – 1898) Although commonly remembered as the daughter of Karl Marx, Eleanor Marx achieved a great deal in her own right as a feminist, a socialist, a translator, a journalist and an editor. Eleanor lived in Jews Walk, Sydenham in the borough of Lewisham, from 1895 to 1898. Eleanor …
Lewisham’s famous women: Marie Lloyd (1870-1922) Marie Lloyd is considered to be the greatest and most popular of the music hall artists, lived for several years in Lewisham, between 1887 and 1893. The house where she lived, 196 Lewisham Way, called Lewisham High Road back then, no longer exists. The site was covered by the …
Thurgood Marshall was an influential figure in American history, known for his groundbreaking work as a civil rights lawyer and the first African American Supreme Court Justice. His tireless efforts in fighting for racial equality and individual rights left a lasting impact on the United States, shaping social policies and legal practices well beyond his …
This post in is honour of Colin Kaepernick and the people who are currently participating in civil rights activities to highlight the injustices around the world. Whilst Black History Month is a great time to remember civil rights leaders of the past who fought for equality and justice, we cannot forget that racism and inequality …
The picture of Tommie Smith and John Carlos giving the Black Power Salute is iconic and instantly recognisable to many. But few people know of the bravery and tragedy of the other guy, the third man. Australian runner Peter Norman, who won silver at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City actually stood in solidarity on …
Enoch Powell was a prominent British politician who served in various capacities from the 1950s to the 1970s. He is, however, best remembered for his infamous “Rivers of Blood” speech which he delivered on 20 April 1968. This speech drew intense criticism and contributed to a significant increase in racism in Britain. Enoch Powell’s background …
Darcus Howe, a Trinidad-born activist, writer, and broadcaster, played a significant role in the fight for racial equality in Britain. With his roots in the Black Power movement, Howe used his journalism, broadcasting, and political activism expertise to challenge racism and promote multiculturalism in the UK. His work with prominent publications like Race Today and …
Mansa Musa was the first African Muslim king to make the pilgrimage to Mecca. He was also the richest person in all history with a £321 ($400) billion fortune. Much richer than Bill Gates, the Rockefeller’s and the Rothschild family. Musa Keita I came into power in 1312 following the death of his predecessor, Abu-Bakr …
Walter Tull was one of Britain’s first black footballers and a First World War hero. Walter Tull was born in Folkestone, Kent on 28 April 1888. His father Daniel Tull, the son of a slave had arrived in Britain from Barbados in 1876 and found work as a carpenter. Daniel Tull married Alice Elizabeth Palmer. …
There are many who claim that John Hanson was the first Black president of the United States, not Barack Obama. This tale is continuously shared on social media. Because many people believe that everything posted on Facebook or Twitter is the truth, lies will spread like wildfire and before you know it, it has taken …
Barack Obama is the first US Black President, but he is not the first black person to run for the US presidency. That honour goes to George Edwin Taylor. George Taylor was born in the pre-Civil War South to a free mother and an enslaved father. He went on to become the first African American …
On hearing that Clayton Lockett suffered during his botched execution many of you may have looked at his crime before deciding whether he was worthy of your compassion. That’s okay, we’re all human and entitled to empathise only with those we feel deserve it. Clayton Lockett was a convicted murderer and therefore in the eyes …
Harriet Tubman escaped slavery to become a leading abolitionist. She led hundreds of enslaved people to freedom along the route of the Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman was born in Dorchester County, Maryland, in 1822 to enslaved parents Harriet “Rit” Green, who was owned by Mary Pattison Brodess and Ben Ross, who was owned by Anthony …
Ida B Wells was born into slavery on July 16, 1862, in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Her father, James, was a carpenter, and her mother, Elizabeth, was a famous cook. Both parents were literate and taught Ida how to read at a young age. She was surrounded by political activists and grew up with a sense …
Sarah Forbes Bonetta was the princess, born into the Egbado royal family of south-western Nigeria, who became a favourite of Queen Victoria and a regular visitor to Windsor Castle. Sarah was captured in 1848 during a slave-hunt war by the infamous King Ghezo of Dahomey when she was just eight years old. Her tribe was …
On 16 October 1968, American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos took a stand that would see them banished from the Olympic games. In 1968, the United States already had a lot on its plate. This was a country enmeshed in civil rights and anti-war protests. Civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr had been …
