Black History Month 2021: Proud to Be

In support of Black History Month, we are celebrating the outstanding achievements of three Black Bristolians who have contributed to our city.

 

Michele Curtis

Artist, illustrator, graphic designer, and founder and director of Iconic Black Britons, Michele Curtis uses arts and culture to celebrate the contributions the African-Caribbean community has made to Bristol and beyond.

In 2015 Michele was commissioned to commemorate the Seven Saints of St Pauls. The remarkable work features seven painted murals featuring the Black Bristolians who founded St Pauls Carnival and worked tirelessly advocating for equality. The portraits depict The Honourable Owen Adolphus Henry, Barbara Dettering, Dolores Evadne Campbell, Carmen Beckford MBE, Audley Evans, Clifford Drummond, and Roy Hackett MBE.

Michele’s invaluable work on the Seven Saints of St Pauls project endorses the achievements of Black men and women who made a difference, reinforces representation, and helps change entrenched narratives of Bristol’s social history.

As Director of Iconic Black Britons, Michele drives their mission to increase engagement in the arts for marginalised groups and, ‘create inclusive pathways for young people to respect and engage with the arts and their communities, whilst being inspired by tangible role models’.

A role model herself, Michele continues to motivate and inspire others. She told Arts Council England, “At the beginning of my journey, someone told me ‘Fortune favours the brave’… So, go for it! If I can do it, anyone can”.

Sherrie Eugene-Hart

Now a writer, speaker, ethical consultant and award-winning broadcaster, Sherrie Eugene-Hart was the first Black woman in the UK to qualify as a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter. Having learned BSL to communicate with her sister who is profoundly deaf, Sherrie studied English Literature and BSL at the University of Bristol before beginning her career as an anchorwoman for HTV News.

During her distinguished TV career, Sherrie excelled in reporting, presenting and producing, and has won numerous national awards, including the top TV news category award for her documentary about the Windrush Generation, an Independent News Group award for her human-interest series produced for ITV News, and the prestigious Sir Ambrose Fleming Award from the Royal Television Society.

Sherrie is co-director of E-Com Media, an organisation built on the ethical principles of respect, equality and integrity. E-Com specialises in event management, radio and TV production, podcast production, and equality, diversity and inclusion training.

Roy Hackett MBE

Born in Jamaica in 1928, anti-racism pioneer Roy Hackett travelled to England to find work in 1952. After working in Liverpool and at Hinkley Point in Bridgewater, Roy moved to Bristol, where he was appointed foreman at St Anne’s Board Mill and oversaw 52 white employees. Roy faced high levels of racism, particularly when searching for somewhere to live, but eventually settled in St Pauls.

Racial discrimination was legal in Britain until the mid-1960s. Having come across a man who had been denied an interview with Bristol Omnibus Company because he was Black, Roy, together with a small group of other campaigners, led a months-long boycott to overturn open discrimination. Their actions paved the way for the Race Relations Act of 1965.

Roy is the second surviving Saint of the Seven Saints of St Pauls and features in Michele Curtis’ iconic artwork. The Seven were instrumental in setting up St Pauls Carnival, known then as the St Pauls Festival.

Roy continues to be an active volunteer and campaigner, visiting schools to talk about his life and supporting community projects. He received an award from the Jamaican High Commissioner for his outstanding contribution to his community.

References

https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/blog/five-questions-%E2%80%A6-michele-curtis-iconic-black-britons-cic

https://bristololdvic.org.uk/blog/art-is-power-michele-curtis

https://www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/m-shed/whats-on/windrush-at-70-re-living-the-bamboo-club/

https://bristol.fandom.com/wiki/Roy_Hackett

http://www.bristolarchiverecords.com/people/people_Roy_Hackett.html