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Know Them. Celebrate Them. has been designed to celebrate people of all identities and their achieve

17/09/2020

Happy 120th Birthday, Lena Frances Edwards!

Lena Frances Edwards graduated from Howard University Medical School in 1924, and then established her medical practice in Jersey City in 1925. In 1931, she joined the staff of Margaret Hague Hospital in Jersey City, but because white supremacy and the patriarchy created barriers to prevent the professional advancement of Black women, she was not admitted to residency in obstetrics and gynecology there until 1945. During her long career, she taught obstetrics at Howard University Medical School, was a medical advisor to the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs, and volunteered at a mission for Mexican migrant workers in Texas. President Lyndon B. Johnson recognised her long career in service to others in 1964 when he awarded Edwards the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

15/09/2020

Happy 131st Birthday, Claude McKay!

Claude McKay was a famous poet during the Harlem Renaissance – a period in history when African American creatives began to publicly express themselves. He has been credited for giving a voice to black immigrants, paving the way for poets to discuss racism and influencing later poets such as Langston Hughes. One of his most famous poems titled ‘America’ balance his ideas of simultaneously loving and hating America by reflecting on its strength and vigour but also its bitterness and violence.

"Although she feeds me bread of bitterness,
And sinks into my throat her tiger’s tooth,
Stealing my breath of life, I will confess
I love this cultured hell that tests my youth.
Her vigor flows like tides into my blood,
Giving me strength erect against her hate,
Her bigness sweeps my being like a flood.
Yet, as a rebel fronts a king in state,
I stand within her walls with not a shred
Of terror, malice, not a word of jeer.
Darkly I gaze into the days ahead,
And see her might and granite wonders there,
Beneath the touch of Time’s unerring hand,
Like priceless treasures sinking in the sand.”

13/09/2020

Happy 98th Birthday, Dr Antonia Pantoja!

Antonia Pantoja was an educator, social worker, feminist, civil rights leader and founder of ASPIRA (an organisation to empower Latino communities). From its introduction in the 1960s to today, ASPIRA has provided 50,000 Latino students with career and college counselling, financial aid and other assistance. Dr Pantoja was also involved in school reformation and in the 1970’s, along with and Dr. Mario Anglada, she filed a civil rights lawsuit which led to New York City providing classroom instruction in transitional Spanish. In 1996, she was the first Puerto Rican woman to receive the American Presidential Medal of Freedom.

10/09/2020

Happy 111th Birthday, Tránsito Amaguaña!

Tránsito Amaguaña was a prominent leader of the Ecuadorian indigenous movement between the 1920’s and 1970’s. During this time she co- founded the Ecuadorian Indian Federation, took part in 26 marches to Quito (Ecuador’s capital) to demand justice for her people and won a labour code which gave indigenous farmers protection. She received a lot of pushback from government including being arrested on fabricated claims. However, in 2003 her lifetime work in the indigenous movement was widely recognised when she was awarded the Eugenio Espejo Award by President Lucio Gutiérrez.

07/09/2020

Happy 55th Birthday, Sue Austin!

Sue Austin is an artist, advocating for the reframing of perceptions towards disability. She is well-known for scuba-diving to express her sense of freedom and joy that comes from being a wheelchair user. Through her artwork, she aims to raise the profile of difference and question the value of diversity in society.

Watch her Ted Talk, Deep Sea Diving.. in a wheelchair: https://www.ted.com/talks/sue_austin_deep_sea_diving_in_a_wheelchair?language=en -1938

05/09/2020

Happy 74th Birthday!
Farrokh Bulsara, also known as Freddie Mercury was the lead singer of the epic rock band Queen. However, during his fame, his identity was often white-washed. Freddie Mercury, whose parents were from the Parsi community of western India, was himself born in Zanzibar (Tanzania). He spent his child and teen years between Zanzibar and India, moving to the UK when he was 18. Mercury was bold and unapologetic with his sexuality in a time when being in the LGBT community was considered a mental illness. He rejected homophobic intimidation by embracing the name Queen (which was a derogatory term for a gay man) and pushed gender boundaries by wearing elaborate costumes such as leotards, angel-wing cloaks and tight shorts. As cofounder of Queen, he wrote many of their greatest hits including Bohemian Rhapsody, Killer Queen, Somebody to Love, We Are the Champions, Don't Stop Me Now and Crazy Little Thing Called Love. In 2003, Queen was the first band to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and in 2018, Queen was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

04/09/2020

Happy 172nd Birthday, Lewis Howard Latimer!

Lewis Howard Latimer was an American inventor and patent draftsman for the patents of the light bulb and telephone. As a young man he taught himself mechanical drawing by reading books and observing draftsman at his work. In 1874, at the age of 25 he secured his first patent for the water closet – an improved toilet system for railroad cars. He proceeded by working on and improving many of Thomas Edison, Hiram Maxim and Alexander Graham Bells’ work including the telephone patent of 1876 and the lightbulb with a carbon filament of 1881. Through his work with Edison, he become one of the Charted Members of the Edison pioneers- the only African American member of this prestigious group. Alongside his scientific career, he was also poet, playwright and painter. He was also active in the church where he taught mechanical engineering and English new immigrants.

Watch this video to learn more about him - youtube.com/watch?v=vnehQD9NCrE

02/09/2020

Happy 71st Birthday!

Moira Stuart is a British presenter and broadcaster, who was the first African-Caribbean female newsreader to appear on British television. In March 2020, she received the Broadcasting Press Guild's Harvey Lee Award in recognition of "her five decades of outstanding broadcasting, including news presentation on BBC radio and television, documentaries, entertainment shows and her current news and music programmes on Classic FM”. ‘Moira Stuart In Search of Wilberforce’ is one of the numerous documentaries she has presented. It shows Moira taking a fresh outlook at the apparent contradictions in the story of William Wilberforce and offers a new perspective on the abolition of the slave trade - youtube.com/watch?v=O3hIZrhMGhk

01/09/2020

Know Them. Celebrate Them. has been designed to celebrate people of all identities and their achievements for humanity.

Statues, plaques, street names and other memorial are symbols which recognise and celebrate culturally and historically significant people. Every time we walk past one of these symbols, we internalise the esteem of these individuals. This contributes to our own perception of what is admirable within society. So why is it that these symbols only represent a small portion of identities and what must this be doing to our own self-worth and the worth of others? In the UK, only 2.7% of statues are of historical, non-royal women and only 4% of Blue Plaques are dedicated to Black and Asian people. Meanwhile, 87% of streets in central London are named after men. This page has been designed to celebrate people of all identities and their achievements for humanity.

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