• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Our history archive

Our History

Documenting world history and civil rights

General

  • About
  • Cookies and your privacy
  • Privacy policy
  • Contact

Categories

  • Home
  • Colonisation
  • World History
  • Civil Rights
  • World cultures
  • Features
  • Wellbeing
  • Popular Culture
  • Home
  • Colonisation
  • World History
  • Civil Rights
  • World cultures
  • Features
  • Wellbeing
  • Popular Culture

Features: Celebrating voices that deserve the spotlight

This is where stories come alive. Our Features hub highlights the trailblazers, changemakers, unsung heroes, and villains who have left their mark on history, culture, and the community. From global icons to local legends, we showcase individuals whose lives changed history, inspire, challenge, and uplift.

Each profile is more than a biography — it's a celebration of resilience, creativity, and impact. Whether you're discovering a revolutionary thinker, a cultural pioneer, or someone quietly changing the world, these stories remind us that greatness comes in many forms — and every voice matters.

photo of person wearing guy fawkes mask

The tactics of race baiting: A dive into divisive politics and media manipulation

In today’s society, where racial tensions remain prevalent, the media plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion and perpetuating stereotypes. A controversial strategy known as race baiting …
Rose hall Jamaica

‍The enigmatic White Witch of Rose Hall: A tale of mystery, magic, and murder 

Jamaica has a vibrant culture, sun-soaked beaches, and rich history. Among the numerous attractions that draw tourists from around the world, the story of the White Witch of Rose Hall stands out as a …
Dr Patricia Bath

6 female inventors of colour in health and science

As we’re celebrating International Day of the Girl and Black History Month, this post is dedicated to women inventors of colour. Did you know that only 13 per cent of science, tech, …
Una Marson

Una Marson: Trailblazing Jamaican poet and feminist icon

In the annals of Jamaican history, Una Marson’s name shines as a luminary—a poet, playwright, feminist, and relentless advocate whose profound contributions continue to inspire and resonate …
The one drop rule

Understanding the one-drop rule

The one-drop rule is a social and legal principle that originated in the United States. It dictates that any person with even one ancestor of African descent is considered black. This rule has played …
Liz Obi and Olive Morris

The legacy of Elizabeth Obi and the Brixton Black Women’s Group

‍The Brixton Black Women’s Group (BBWG) was a groundbreaking organisation that was crucial in shaping the Black Power Movement in Britain during the 1960s and 1970s. At the forefront of this …
Olive Morris

Olive Morris: A powerful advocate for Black women’s rights in Britain

‍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, …
Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin: The iconic journey of the Queen of Soul

Aretha Franklin, the undisputed Queen of Soul, left an indelible mark on the music industry with her soul-stirring voice and powerful performances. Born on 25 March 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee, Aretha …
Dora Saint posing at a table

Dora Saint aka Miss Read

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 …
cancel cutlrue and activism

The cultural divide between Cancel Culture and the rest of us

We have witnessed widely publicised examples of tension between social justice activists and those who advocate for restraint. The most recent example is the Cancel culture movement and its backlash …
white printer paper on white table

The role of the media in fuelling culture wars

Media plays a vital role in shaping public awareness and providing information that shapes attitudes and opinions. The media has become a powerful tool, whether it is TV, radio, or the internet. As a …
Dame Sybil Phoenix

Sybil Phoenix OBE – community leader

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 …
  • Previous
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 8
  • Page 9
  • Page 10
  • Page 11
  • Page 12
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 17
  • Next

Sidebar

This Day In History

Person
On this day in 1896 Writer, activist, and co-founder of the Negritude Movement, Paulette Nardal was born.
Black History Month: Standing in Power and Pride 2025

Standing firm in power and pride: Eight Black people who shaped history

Official portrait of Captain James Cook

Captain James Cook: Master navigator and Pacific explorer

Phyllis Coard: Architect of women's liberation in revolutionary Grenada

Phyllis Coard: Architect of women’s liberation in revolutionary Grenada

Trending

  • Standing firm in power and pride: Eight Black people who shaped history
    Standing firm in power and pride: Eight Black people who shaped history
  • Five countries that colonised the world
    Five countries that colonised the world
  • The Somerset v Stewart Case: A Landmark Decision in the History of Slavery and Abolition
    The Somerset v Stewart Case: A Landmark Decision in the History of Slavery and Abolition
  • 23 April is St George's Day - Who was he?
    23 April is St George's Day - Who was he?
  • The rise and fall of the Ottoman Empire: Six centuries of imperial power
    The rise and fall of the Ottoman Empire: Six centuries of imperial power
  • The meaning of "Semite"
    The meaning of "Semite"
  • Holy Wars: The blood-soaked legacy of conflicts fought in the name of Christianity
    Holy Wars: The blood-soaked legacy of conflicts fought in the name of Christianity
  • British Slave-ownership database - See who benefited from slavery
    British Slave-ownership database - See who benefited from slavery
  • What are British values?
    What are British values?
  • European Imperialism
    European Imperialism

Connect

  • YouTube
  • TikTok
  • Bluesky
  • About
  • Cookies and your privacy
  • Privacy policy
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 · Our History · All Rights Reserved