This week marks the start of Black History Month, a time which provides us with an opportunity to not only celebrate the contributions made by generations of Black people who have resided on these islands for centuries, but also to remind us that the society we live in today is richer because of their presence.
This year’s theme is Standing Firm in Power and Pride. It encapsulates the courage, resilience and strength to keep persevering, even when the odds are against you. The figures we will honour throughout the month are all trailblazers who achieved and succeeded in their respective fields in the absence of role models and most certainly in the face of both tangible and invisible discriminatory barriers.
For example, the life of Lilian Bader strikes me as particular poignant given the fact she faced prejudice at the intersection of both race and gender. Undaunted by both, she was keen to serve Britain during World War Two and joined the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes. However, upon the discovery that her father was from the Caribbean, Lilian was dismissed. Despite the unjust treatment she faced, Lilian was not to be deterred and subsequently joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, trained to become an instrument repairer and quickly rose to the rank of corporal.
Similarly inspiring is the experience of Johnny Smythe, a Royal Air Force Navigator, barrister and Windrush advocate originally from Sierra Leone. Outraged by the scourge of fascism, Smythe later reflected that he “wasn’t going to sit down and watch Hitler take over the world”. He flew countless missions over Nazi-occupied Europe but after his Lancaster bomber was hit by enemy fire, he was captured as a prisoner of war and held captive for two years. Upon his release, Smythe proudly proclaimed, “I fought for Britain. I fought for freedom. I fought against Hitler. And I would do it all over again.”
The lives of both Lilian Bader and Johnny Smythe serve as exemplars for just how long Black people have been contributing to and upholding the British way of life, but it was only relatively recently that someone of Black heritage rose to the top of political power in the country. In 2003, Baroness Valerie Amos made history as the first Black woman to ever become a Cabinet Minister and has since then also become the first Black woman to lead the House of Lords and the first Black woman to be appointed Master of an Oxford college. Raised in North London, Amos saw first-hand the barriers faced by immigrant families throughout the tough decades of the 60s, 70s and 80s. Issues such as discrimination in employment and housing, race riots spanning the length and breadth of England from Toxteth in Liverpool to Handsworth in Birmingham, from Chapeltown in Leeds to Brixton in South London, and of course, the insidious microaggressions often disguised as polite refusals were all a part of daily life back then for many people of minority backgrounds. Baroness Amos worked in local government throughout this turbulent era and from 1989 to 1994, she served as Deputy Chief Executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission, a position from which she advocated for fairer employment practices when organisations were yet to be introduced to ideas surrounding equity, diversity or inclusion.
As Black History Month gets underway, I would urge all of you to consider the numerous figures of Black heritage who have paved the way so that all of us can reside in a more equitable society. As division once more rears its ugly head and figures stoke racism on our very streets, it is important now more than ever to recognise the people who have contributed to the rich tapestry of British history and life.
Mr Patel
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Lead