PAGE 1Celebrating Black History

Most of us over the age of 30 rememberour school history lessons. We all learnedabout notable figures and events fromthe past: Roman Emperor, Julius Caesar,progress in medicine and hygiene,Edward Jenner and vaccination, FlorenceNightingale and the Crimean War. Nearlyall our history lessons were about theachievements of European Society andof white people. We learned very little ofthe contribution to civilisation of Non-European Societies or of people thatweren’t white.

How many of us learned about the BlackRoman Emperor, Septimus Severus?How many of us knew of the hugecontribution made to science andmedicine by Muslim scientists in TheMiddle Ages? Who ever taught us thatthe most advanced and prosperous cityin Europe in the Middle Ages was MuslimCórdoba in Spain? When did we everlearn of the Muslim and Indian doctorsthat were using vaccination years beforeJenner? Who knew of the soldier’sfavourite nurse in the Crimean War –Black Jamaican nurse Mary Seacole?

And it was not just history lessons. Howmany of us know that huge chunks ofour mathematical heritage come from theMuslim world? The numbers we usetoday are called “Arabic numerals”because they were given to us by Muslimmathematicians; the word “algebra” is anArabic word because Muslim

mathematicians invented it and theconcept of the number zero was given tous by the Maya of Central America, whopassed it on to the Spanish, who thenbrought it to Europe in the 16th Century.Until then there was absolutely noconcept of zero in European Society.

Black History Month seeks to addressthis imbalance and to promote theimportant and positive contributions tosociety by Black people.

Well before a man of Kenyan heritagebecame the first black President of theUnited States of America, in 2008,members of the Black and Asiancommunities have contributed greatly toworld civilisation.

In celebration of their achievements,Cheshire, Halton and Warrington Raceand Equality Centre has produced aunique exhibition. Some of the keyfigures in Black and Asian History arehighlighted in this booklet that you maytake away.

The exhibition covers those that havecontributed to advancement in the areasof Science, Literature, Architecture, theArts, Politics and Sport.

We hope you enjoy the exhibition andwe thank you for attending.

Introduction

PAGE 3Celebrating Black History PAGE 2 Celebrating Black History

Septimus Severus - Black Roman Emperor, 146-211Septimus Severus was born at Leptis Magna in Libya inAD 146. He belonged to a class of Romanised Africansand received a good education in his native province.After the murder of Marcus Aurelius' son Commodus,Septimus, supported by the provincial legions, becameRoman Emperor in AD193. He died in Britain, at York,in AD 211.

Nanny - Maroon Leader, active 1720-34A national heroine of Jamaica, Queen Nanny was afamous Maroon leader who frequently attacked slavetraders and is believed to have freed hundreds ofslaves. A symbol of Maroon resistance, she is thoughtto have been killed by British forces.

Olaudah Equiano - Writer, Explorer, 1745-97Equiano's autobiography, “The Interesting Narrative ofthe Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, theAfrican”, is one of the most important works to addressabolition. A former slave who bought his freedom, hetoured the UK talking about his experiences.

Mary Seacole - Nurse, 1805-81Seacole rose to prominence during the Crimean Warwhen she funded her own journey to Turkey afterBritish authorities refused her offers of help. There sheopened a hospital, and became a popular figure inBritain, receiving various awards for bravery.

Bussa - Slave Leader, died 1816A national hero of Barbados, Bussa led around 400slaves in a revolt against slave owners in 1816.Although Bussa was killed in battle and the revolt failed,he is remembered as one of the key figures in theemancipation of the slaves.

Harriet Tubman - Abolitionist, 1820-1913A runaway slave, Tubman went on to aid the escape ofhundreds of slaves via the Underground Railroad, anetwork of houses willing to help those on their way tofreedom in Canada. Nicknamed "Moses", she laterserved in the Civil War.

Dadabhai Naoroji – Political Leader, First ever minority MP born 1825Naoroji was a Parsi intellectual whose book entitled,“Poverty and Un-British Rule in India”, brought into thelimelight the drain of India's wealth into Britain. He wasa MP in the House of Commons between 1892 and1895. He was the first Asian to be a British MP. He isalso credited with the founding of the Indian NationalCongress, alongside, A.O. Hume and Dinshwe EduljiWacha.

John Archer - First Black Mayor in Britain, 1863-1932Born in Liverpool, his father was a ship’s steward fromBarbados. In his late 20s he moved to London and waselected to Battersea Council in 1906. In 1913, hebecame Mayor of Battersea, thus becoming the firstblack mayor of a British borough.

Mahatma Gandhi - Spiritual and Political Leader, born 1869Gandhi played a pivotal role in winning freedom forIndia. Gandhi’s political views were largely shapedwhen he travelled to South Africa. The ill-treatment ofIndians in South Africa led him to re-evaluate both hislife and the treatment of his people in British-ruled India.He would adopt a life-long vow of non-violence andcompletely dedicated his life to the service of humanity.He was assassinated in 1948.

PAGE 5Celebrating Black History PAGE 4 Celebrating Black History

Haile Selassie - World leader, 1892-1975Accepted by Rastafarians as a symbol of Godincarnate, the former emperor of Ethiopia became aworldwide anti-Fascist figure after appealing to theUnited Nations for help against Mussolini's invadingarmies. An ally of the west and opponent ofcolonisation.

Jesse Owens - Athlete, 1913-80At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Owens defied Nazipropaganda and won four gold medals on the track.When he died, the US President Jimmy Carter said:"Perhaps no athlete better symbolised the humanstruggle against tyranny, poverty and racial bigotry."

Rosa Parks - Activist, 1913-2005Parks' refusal to give up her seat on an Alabama bus in1955 became a symbolic moment in the American civilrights movement. The fallout launched Martin LutherKing Jr to fame. The incident sparked a mass boycottof the transport system by the black community.

Noor Inayat Khan - Heroine of theResistance, 1914-1944Born to an Indian Father and an American mother,Noor lived in France, before the outbreak of WWII,upon which the family later fled to the UK. In 1940, shejoined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) and latershe was recruited to join the Special OperationsExecutive. She was sent to France under the codename Jeanne-Marie Regnier. In 1944, after beingbetrayed, she was executed. She received the Croix deGuerre and the George Cross for her efforts during thewar.

Sir William Arthur Lewis - Economist, 1915-91In 1979, Sir Arthur Lewis became the first black personto win the Nobel Prize for Economics. He advised majornations around the world while his research on economicdevelopment in emerging countries was pioneering.

Nelson Mandela - Political Activist, born 1918A key anti-apartheid figure in South Africa and leader ofthe African National Congress, Mandela spent 27 yearsin prison for the cause. After his release, he becamethe country's first fully democratically elected president.In 1993 he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Malcolm X - Civil Rights Activist, 1925-65Malcolm X was a major campaigner for civil rights in theUSA. A believer in militant protest, he was assassinatednot long after leaving the Nation of Islam and creatingthe Organization of Afro-American Unity.

Maya Angelou - Author, Poet, Playwright, born 1928A great voice of black literature, Angelou's memoirsexpose the difficulties of growing up as a black womanin St Louis. Her achievements are many and varied,and she was the first African-American womanadmitted to the Directors Guild of America.

Martin Luther King - Civil Rights Activist, 1929-68The figurehead of the American Civil Rights Movement,King became a national hero after leading thesuccessful Montgomery bus boycott. In 1964 hereceived the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of hiswork. He was assassinated on 4 April 1968.

PAGE 7Celebrating Black History PAGE 6 Celebrating Black History

Lata Mangheshkar - Singer, born 1929Mangheshkar was born in Madhya Pradesh. She is oneof the best-known playback singers in the Indian filmindustry. Her career has spanned over 6 decades andshe has sung in over a thousand Bollywood films. Sheis the second vocalist ever to have received the BharatRatna, India’s highest civilian honour and was featuredin the Guinness book of World Records for havingmade the most recordings in the world.

Derek Walcott - Poet & Nobel Prize Winner, born 1930Born in St. Lucia in 1930, Derek Walcott won the NobelPrize for Literature in 1992. He is best known for hisepic poem “Omeros”, a reworking of Homeric story andtradition into a journey around the Caribbean andbeyond to the American West and London.

Manmohan Singh - Prime Minister of India, born 1932Singh is an Oxford and Cambridge graduate and anEconomist by profession. He is the first person of Sikhfaith to hold the office of Prime Minister in India.

Shirley Bassey - Singer, born 1937Arguably the greatest Welsh singer of all time, Basseyis the only artist to perform three James Bond themes.The Cardiff-born diva has recently made a popularrevival (she was made a Dame in 2000) and canapparently count the Queen as a fan.

Kofi Annan - Diplomat, born 1938Annan was the seventh Secretary-General of the UnitedNations. His role in working for global peace wasrecognised when he and the UN were awarded theNobel Peace Prize in 2001. He helped to reform the UNand strengthen its peacekeeping abilities.

Bill Morris - First black leader of BritishTrade Union, born 1938Sir Bill Morris was born in Jamaica and came to Britain in1954. He became involved with the biggest Trade Unionin Britain, the Transport & General Workers Union. Hebecame the general secretary of the union in 1992, thusbecoming the first black leader of a British Trades Union.He served in that role until 2003. He became a workinglife peer as Baron Morris of Handsworth in 2006.

Trevor McDonald - Journalist, born 1939The first black news anchor in the UK, Trinidad-bornMcDonald is one of the most popular figures on TV.Starting his career on the BBC World Service, in 1999he was given the Bafta Richard Dimbleby Award forOutstanding Contribution to Television.

Pelé - Footballer, born 1940Born Edison Arantes do Nascimento in Minas Gerais,Brazil and better known by his nickname, Pelé. He isuniversally regarded as the greatest football player ever.The International Olympic Committee named himAthlete of the 20th Century. He won the FIFA WorldCup three times with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

Muhammad Ali - Boxer, born 1942Widely considered to be the greatest athlete of all time.Not only did Ali dominate the world of boxing (the BBCand Sports Illustrated hailed him "Sportsman of theCentury" in 1999), he was also a key figure in the civil-rights movement after refusing to fight in Vietnambecause of how blacks were treated in America.

Bob Marley - Musician & Songwriter, born 1945Recognised as the Father of Reggae, Bob Marley wasborn in St. Ann, Jamaica. With his band, The Wailershe made many popular and famous recordings such as“I shot the Sherriff”, “No Woman, No Cry”, “Jamming”and “Buffalo Soldier”. He died of cancer in 1981.

PAGE 9Celebrating Black History PAGE 8 Celebrating Black History

Steve Biko - Activist, 1946-77A leading campaigner against apartheid in South Africaand co-founder of the Black People's Convention, Bikosuffered a fatal head injury while in policy custody.Richard Attenborough turned Biko's struggle forequality into the feature film “Cry Freedom”.

Freddie Mercury - British Musician, born 1946The front man of Queen was born on the island ofZanzibar, to Parsi parents. Mercury grew up in Indiaand in 1964 he and his family moved to the UK.Mercury is best known for his flamboyant performancesand vocal prowess. In 1991, he passed away. Hecontinues to be cited as one of the most influential andgreatest singers/songwriters in the history of popularmusic. In 2008, Rolling Stone ranked him number 18on their list of 100 greatest singers of all time.

Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister ofBangladesh, born 1947Daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the foundingfather of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina became thePresident of the Awami League Party in 1981. Sheserved as Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 1996 to2001 and was elected for a second time as PrimeMinister in 2008.

Nirj Deva - Conservative MP, born 1948Nirj Deva was born in Sri Lanka of Gujarati descent. Hebecame the first Conservative MP of Asian descent in1992 when elected for Brentford and Isleworth andserved as a junior minister under John Major. He losthis seat in 1997, but returned in 1999 to be elected asa Member of the European Parliament, where he stillserves.

Lakshmi Mittal - Industrialist, born 1950Mittal was born in an small village in India. He is theCEO and founder of ArcelorMittal, since the merger.He also serves as a Non-Executive Director of GoldmanSachs, EADS and ICICI Bank. As of 2009, Mittal is the8th richest person in the world and the richest personin the UK.

John Conteh - Boxer, born 1951Boasting a record of 34 wins, one draw and fourlosses, John Conteh is considered one of the greatestever English boxers. Born in Liverpool, he won theWBC Light Heavyweight Championship in 1974 and agold medal at the 1970 Commonwealth Games.

Jayaben Desai - Leader of Grunwick Dispute 1976-1978Born in Gujerat, India, Jayaben Desai came to Britain in1969. In 1976, she led the strike against the appallingworking conditions at the Grunwick film processingfactory which dreadfully exploited a workforce of mainlySouth Asian women. In 2007, she was honoured bythe Trades Union Congress.

Baron Taylor of Warwick - Conservative Peer, born 1952John Taylor was born in Birmingham in 1952, the son of aprofessional cricketer. He went to Keele University andbecame a lawyer. In 1992, he fought Cheltenham for theConservatives in the General Election but lost. In 1996, hewas made the first black Conservative peer by John Major.

PAGE 11Celebrating Black History PAGE 10 Celebrating Black History

Benazir Bhutto - Pakistani Politician, born 1953Bhutto was a Pakistani politician who chaired thePakistan Peoples Party. She was the first woman,elected to lead a Muslim state, having twice beenelected as Prime Minister of Pakistan. She is Pakistan’sfirst, and to date, only female Prime Minister.

In 2007, she was assassinated whilst leaving acampaign rally.

Diane Abbott - Labour MP, born 1953In 1987 Diane Abbott made history by becoming the firstblack woman ever elected to the British Parliament. She iscurrently the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington.

Baroness Amos - Cabinet Minister, Born 1954Baroness Amos was born in Guyana and is the first blackwoman cabinet minister and joint first black woman peerand was appointed Leader of the House of Lords, thethird woman in history to lead the upper house ofParliament. She was created a life peer in 1997.

Baroness Scotland - Attorney General, born August 1955Born in Dominica, Baroness Scotland’s family moved toWalthamstow when she was 3 years old. She receivedher LLB from London University. She received lifetimepeerage as Baroness Scotland of Ashal, under theLabour Party’s list of working peers in 1997.

Viv Anderson – Footballer, born 1956Viv Anderson was born in Nottingham in 1956. He wasthe first black footballer to play for England in 1978. Hewon a total of 30 caps for England. At club level heplayed for top ranking clubs: Nottingham Forest,Arsenal and Manchester United. With NottinghamForest he was a twice winner of the European Cup(now Champion’s League) in 1979 and 1980.

Keith Vaz - Labour MP, born 1956Vaz received his law degree from Cambridge and workedas a Solicitor for a number of years, before becoming aLabour MP for Leicester East and has been theChairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee sinceJuly 2007. In 2006, he was appointed as a member ofHer Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council.

Benjamin Zephaniah - Poet, born 1958Zephaniah decided to become a poet after being sentto prison, aged 14. He is now one of Britain's topcontemporary poets and has also written novels. Hepublicly rejected an OBE in 2003 because the awardreminded him of "thousands of years of brutality.

James Caan – Entrepreneur, born 1960Born Nazim Khan in Lahore, Pakistan, James Caan isone of Britain’s leading business people. With a personalfortune of around £75 million he has made his fortune ina diverse number of companies that he set up over thelast 30 years. He has been a panel judge on BBC 2’spopular programme; “Dragon’s Den” since 2007.

President Barack Obama - 44th President of the USA, born 1961Born in Hawaii to a Kenyan father and a mother fromKansas, Mr. Obama paid his way through school withstudent loans and scholarships. He graduated fromHarvard Law School, and was the first African-AmericanPresident of the Harvard Law Review. Upon graduation,he worked as a Civil Rights Lawyer in Chicago. Later heserved in the Illinois State Senate and then in the USSenate. On 4 November 2008, he was elected the firstblack President of the United States.

PAGE 12 Celebrating Black History

Shami Ahmed - Entrepreneur, born 1962Came to Britain from Pakistan in 1963 with his parents,in 1986 Shami Ahmed set up “The Joe Bloggs” jeanscompany in Manchester which became an icon ofyouth culture in the 1980s and 1990s. He made his firstmillion by the age of 24.

Adam Afriyie - Conservative MP, born 1965Adam Afriyie was born in Wimbledon, the son of aGhanaian father and English mother. He was elected asMP for Windsor and Maidenhead in 2005. He is the firstblack Conservative MP. In 2007, he was appointedShadow Minister for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Kelly Holmes - Athlete, born 1970Holmes became the first British woman to win two goldmedals after winning both the 800m and 1,500m at the2004 Athens Olympics. She was named BBC SportsPersonality of the Year in 2004 and made a dame in2005.

Monty Singh Panesar - Cricketer, born 1982Born in Bedfordshire to Punjabi Sikh parents, Panesaris the first Sikh to represent a nation other than India inTest Cricket. He plays Test and One-Day Cricket forEngland, and County Cricket for Northamptonshire. Heis a crowd favourite in England.

Amir Khan - Boxer, born 1986Khan is a British Boxer from Bolton. He became theWBA World Light-Welterweight Champion, afterdefeating Andreas Kotelnik, making him Britain’s third-youngest world champion.

Champions are made from something they

have deep inside them, a desire, a dream,

a vision. They have to have last-minute

stamina, they have to be a little faster, they

have to have the skill and the will. But the

will must be stronger than the skill.

MOHAMMAD ALI

Even if you are a minority of one,the truth is the truth.GHANDI

No matter what accomplishmentsyou make, somebody helped you.ALTHEA GIBSON

Mary Seacole saved many soldiers lives in the Crimean War,

but was turned away by Florence Nightingale and her nurses.

Mary asked herself...

Did these ladies shrink from accepting my aid because

my blood flowed beneath a darker skin than theirs?.

MARY SEACOLE

Cheshire Halton and Warrington Race & Equality Centre92 Watergate Street, Chester CH1 2LF

Tel: 01244 400730 • Fax: 01244 400722Email: office@chawrec.org.uk

www.chawrec.org.uk