Frank Bailey: London’s First Black Firefighter
Born in Guyana, Frank Bailey came to England in 1953 as a political activist, joining the West Indian Standing Conference (WISC), an umbrella organisation formed in 1958 to promote the interests of …
Features: Highlighting 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.
Lilian Bader – One of the first black women to join the British Armed Forces
Lilian Bader was born in 1918 in Liverpool’s Toxteth Park neighbourhood to Marcus Bailey, a merchant seaman from Barbados who fought for the British in the First World War, and Lilian, a British …
Onesimus – the slave who helped quell the Boston smallpox outbreak
Onesimus was an enslaved West African man whose African teachings helped to reduce the impact of the smallpox outbreak in Boston, Massachusetts.
Little is known about Onesimus before he was …
Friedrich Engels: The collaborator and theorist behind Marxism
Friedrich Engels was a German philosopher, political scientist, economist, historian, and revolutionary socialist who played a crucial role in the development of modern socialism and communism …
Windrush Day
Windrush Day is observed in the UK on 22 June to mark the arrival of the Empire Windrush and to honour the contribution of the Windrush Generation and their descendants.
Windrush Day was …
Justin Fashanu – First out gay footballer
In 1990 Justin Fashanu stunned the football world as the first professional footballer to come out as gay. At this time racism and homophobia were endemic in football.
Justin’s early …
Celebrating Pride Month – Marsha P Johnson
Marsha P Johnson was an outspoken transgender rights activist at the forefront of important moments in LGBTQ+ history. Her activism in the 1960s and 70s had an enormous impact on the LGBTQ+ …
The Windrush scandal and the hostile environment
What is the Windrush scandal?
The Windrush scandal mainly affected UK citizens originally from the Caribbean. It came to light in 2018 after it emerged that hundreds of Commonwealth …
The untold story of Black British children wrongly classified as subnormal
In the 1960s and 1970s, hundreds of black children in Britain were wrongly classified as “educationally subnormal” and sent to special schools. These schools were designed for students …
Tulsa race massacre survivors seek justice
Viola Fletcher, the oldest survivor of the racist attack on Tulsa’s “Black Wall Street”, testified at a House Judiciary Committee hearing to mark the centennial of the 1921 Tulsa Race …
Flore Bois Gaillard – Saint Lucian revolutionary
Flore Bois Gaillard was a St Lucian runaway slave who led a band of free slaves called ‘Armée Française Dans Les Bois (French Army in the Woods).
The life of Flore Bois Gaillard
Flore Bois …
Marie Sainte Dédée Bazile – Haitian revolutionary
Marie Sainte Dédée Bazile is notable as part of the Haitian Revolution. While there is much written about the men of the Haitian Revolution, not much is known or written about the women who helped to …