The First Black ______
Took me a while to start writing this article because unfortunately there is a very big minority of not only Black people in UK politics, but Black AND female. Made me angry and quite frustrated too. I mean, Scotland doesn’t even really have any ‘firsts’ when it comes to Black women in politics.
Black history in Scotland is bittersweet per se. Black History Month has only been officially celebrated in the UK for the past 25 years (and in the US since the 1920s). A bit far behind we are. Scotland has long histories in the slave trade in the 18th and 19th centuries, something which is still ignored enough today. On the other hand, there is a list of names of Scottish men who fought for the Union in the American Civil War – a time where slavery was still up for discussion and practically the centrepiece.
Outside politics, Carrie Boustead was the ‘first’ famous Black woman in Scotland for her football fame in the 1800s, a figure who usually appeared in many of Scots paintings, particularly of artist Stuart Gibbs, yet her life wasn’t really explored and kept a mystery. Andrew Watson was Scotland’s first Black international footballer (which was very well documented). And Eugene Bullard (1895-1961) was America’s first Black combat pilot who ended up in Glasgow for some time because he argued that he wasn’t that much of a discriminatory target here. These people are basically the big Black figures Scotland has pride in (long story short of course). Yes there might be more, but records unfortunately do not show them.
Carrie Boustead, a painting by Stuart Gibbs.
Now, for this article I’ll dive a bit into Valerie Amos’ life, because nonetheless, I think it is important we celebrate the first FEMALE BLACK (and actually BAME: black, Asian and minority ethnic) Cabinet member.
Amos’ ‘firsts’ started out way before she was an adult. Born in Guyana, Amos attended an all-girls school where she was the first Black deputy head girl.
Amos was the Labour Secretary of State for International Development from May to October 2003 until Gordon Brown became PM. As a member of the House of Lords, before she was appointed in 2003, Amos served as UK’s spokesperson for international development, social security, women’s issues and foreign as well as Commonwealth affairs.
In 2010 she was appointed the role of Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator in the United Nations, where she stayed until May 2015. During her time in the UN, Amos visited Syria during its 2011/2012 uprising, where she represented the UN in pressuring Syria for access to people who’d been affected by the conflict. In September 2015 Baroness Amos became director of SOAS, University of London, another ‘first’ for being the first Black woman to lead a university in the UK. Finally in September 2020 Amos was appointed Master of the Oxford University College, again being the first black woman ever to head such a prestigious college. So yeah, dam!
“The government and the opposition need to think about their people, if they actually went out and saw the conditions in which their people are living, it might actually mean that they would pause and think again about the importance of peace.”
Amos has clearly dedicated her life to the promotion of social justice and equality. She has been awarded an Honorary Professorship at Thames Valley University in 1995 for this work. In 2000 she was awarded honorary LLD from University of Warwick and in 2006 from the University of Leicester. Later in 2010 Amos was awarded an honorary doctorate from Stirling University which recognised her outstanding service to our society and her role as a model of leadership and success for women today. In 2013 Amos was made an honorary Doctor of Civil Law at Durham University and later in 2017 was awarded an honorary degree at Middlesex University which recognised Amos’ achievementand dedicationto public duty and making a difference to others’ lives. There is even the “Amos Room” in the University of Birmingham.
Other than her achievements and roles in our society, Baroness Amos is most importantly: A CRICKET LOVER. She claims it is one of her biggest passions! <3 Not to forget as well that Amos was listed as one of the 50 best-dressed over-50s in the Guardian in 2013. :O
But yes, apart from lists of achievements and her treasured fashion sense, Amos has been a role model for many. She has shown that it is possible for Black female voices to be heard. She has shown that a united society, at peace, is an ever-living aspiration.
