First Tory black woman MP
Lawyer Helen Grant made political history by becoming the first black woman to be selected to defend a Tory seat.
The former Judo Champion dealt her rivals a deadly blow, knocking them out of the …
Britain finally gets an official slavery remembrance day
In December 2007, the UK Government announced that a national Slavery Memorial Day will take place on 23 August, a date linked to the Haitian rebellion. Black campaign groups have welcomed the …
Lucky Dube: The legacy of a reggae legend
The tragic murder of Lucky Dube on 18 October 2007 sent shockwaves around the world, particularly within the reggae community and his home country of South Africa. Dube was not just a musician but a …
Norbert Rillieux – Inventor
1806-1894 – Nobert Rillieux is famous for revolutionising the sugar industry.
Norbert Rillieux was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on 17 March 1806. His parents were Vincent Rillieux, a white …
Thomas Jennings – Inventor
Thomas Jennings (1791-1859)
Thomas Jennings was born free in New York City in 1791. In his early 20s, he became a tailor but then opened a dry-cleaning business in New York. Thomas went on to …
George Crum
The potato chip (aka crisps) was invented in 1853 by George Crum. The son of an African-American father and a Native American mother, Crum was a chef at the Moon Lake Lodge resort in …
Granville T Woods “The Black Edison”
Many professionals in the electrical industry knew Granville T Woods as the “Black Edison”. Woods was considered by many to be the greatest electrician in the world. The most well-known of …
Elijah McCoy
Elijah McCoy was born in Colchester, Ontario, Canada, on 2 May 1844. His parents were George and Emillia McCoy, former slaves from Kentucky who escaped through the Underground Railroad. George joined …
Henry Boyd – Black inventor
Henry Boyd was a skilled carpenter, born into slavery in Kentucky on 12 April 1802. At a young age, his master apprenticed Henry out to a cabinetmaker. Henry proved to have an impressive talent for …
The Jim Crow laws
The Jim Crow laws were an umbrella term for state and local laws which legalised racial segregation. African Americans were to be marginalised by these laws – which existed for about 100 years, …
Lewis Latimer – Inventor
Lewis Latimer is regarded as one of the ten most significant Black inventors of all time, not just for his many inventions but also for his most famous discovery.
Latimer was born on 4 September …
Alice Marie Coachman – First black woman to win an Olympic gold medal
Alice Marie Coachman (born 9 November 1923 in Albany, Georgia) is an American former athlete. She specialised in the high jump and became the first black woman to win an Olympic gold medal with …