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Beachy Head Lady -

This ancient skeleton was found in Beachy Head, East Sussex. She apparently came from Sub-Saharan Africa, and lived during the Roman era. Beachy Head Lady gives insight into how long Africans have lived in the UK.

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Ignatius Sancho -

Sancho was the first African prose writer who was published in England. Born on a slave ship in the 18th century, the orphan rose to fame and became the first black British voter.

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Philippa of Hainault -

Philippa was arguably the first black Queen of England. She was married to Edward III, and reigned during the 14th century. She is was apparently of Moorish descent, and was described by Bishop Stapledon as being “brown of skin all over [...] and in all things she is pleasant enough, as it seems to us”.

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Olaudah Equiano -

Also known as Gustavus Vassa, this writer was influential in the abolitionist movement. His autobiography detailed the unimaginable pain of slave life, and caused a stir in a changing society.

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Mary Seacole -

When the Crimean War started, British-Jamaican Seacole tried to help out, but was turned down. Instead, she set up her own British Hotel, which served many wounded soldiers.

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Ira Aldridge -

Aldridge was one of the highest-paid actors in the world during the 19th century. He even toured across Europe.

© Public domain

Fanny Eaton -

Eaton made a huge impact in the world of art. She was the muse for many Pre-Raphaelite artists, and helped represent black women in Western art.

© Public domain

Arthur Wharton -

Wharton was the first black pro-footballer in the Football League. He lived from 1865 to 1930, and in 1886, became the fastest man in the country.

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Elizabeth Barrett Browning -

Barrett Browning was a poet during the Victorian era. Her 1844 work, ‘Poems’, was a wide success. She is noted as inspiring writers such as Emily Dickinson and Edgar Allan Poe.

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Harold Moody -

Born in Jamaica, Moody moved to the UK to study medicine. In 1931, he formed the League of Coloured Peoples, and was a prolific campaigner against racial prejudice.

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Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz -

Sophie Charlotte reigned during 18th to the 19th centuries. She is widely considered to be the second Black queen of England. It’s said her African features were historically downplayed by painters.

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Neil Kenlock -

Kenlock moved to Britain from Jamaica in 1963, changing the country forever. He photographed the black experience, and figures such as Black Panthers and protesters. He also co-founded Choice FM, which would later become Capital XTRA.

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Mary Prince -

Prince was a British abolitionist. Her autobiography, ‘The History of Mary Prince’, was the first account of a black woman that was published in the UK. She was also the first woman to present a petition to parliament.

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Learie Constantine -

Constantine moved to England from the Caribbean to play cricket. He then got involved in politics, and even became the first black Governor of the BBC.

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Evelyn Dove -

Dove was a cabaret star in 1920s Britain, breaking boundaries as a black female performer. Unfortunately, she faded into obscurity, and died alone in Surrey.

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Trevor McDonald -

McDonald was the first black news anchor on British TV. He got his start on the BBC World Service, and eventually won the the Bafta Richard Dimbleby Award for Outstanding Contribution to Television.

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Margaret Busby -

During the ‘60s, Busby became Britain’s youngest and first black woman publisher. She worked on the groundbreaking ‘Daughters of Africa’, and is a prolific literary activist.

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Bill Morris -

Morris has made huge strides during his career. He was the first black general secretary of trade union, protecting the rights of vulnerable black British workers.

© Reuters

Diane Abbott -

Abbott was one of three black MPs who were elected to Parliament in the 1987 election. She was the first black female member of parliament, and still represents Hackney North and Stoke Newington to this day.

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Paul Boateng/Bernie Grant -

Along with Diane Abbott, Boateng and Grant were the first black MPs in Parliament.

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Joan Armatrading -

Armatrading was raised in the slums of Birmingham. In the ‘70s, she became a world famous singer-songwriter.

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Wiley -

In the late ‘90s, it’s said Wiley created a new musical genre. Grime was born out of his pirate radio experimentation, giving rise to a new breed of black British musicianship.

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Shirley Bassey -

Bassey was the original diva, a Welsh singer who has sung three ‘James Bond’ themes. With a career spanning more than 50 years, she even counts the Queen as a fan.

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Lenny Henry -

The British stand-up is hugely influential. He co-founded Comic Relief, a charity programme which has raised millions for causes worldwide.

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Kelly Holmes -

There aren’t many athletes like Kelly Holmes. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, she became the first British woman to win two gold medals.

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Stephen and Doreen Lawrence -

The tragic, racially-aggravated murder of Stephen Lawrence inspired huge cultural changes. It inspired reform in the police force and the law. His mother, Doreen Lawrence, is an influential campaigner who will not let the UK forget her son’s death.

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Zadie Smith -

Smith was just 24 when her debut novel, ‘White Teeth’, hit the bookshelves. She has become a leading British novelist, and has taught at New York University.

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Lewis Hamilton -

Hamilton is just 33 years old, but he is still considered one of the best drivers in history. The Formula One maestro has won the World Championship four times.

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Gina Miller -

Last year, Gina Miller was named the UK’s most influential black person. She’s an investment made history by effectively stopping the British government from implementing Brexit without consulting Parliament.

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Stuart Hall -

Hall as been called “the godfather of multiculturalism”. He moved from Jamaica to Oxford, and pioneered research into low and high brow culture.

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