100 Great Black Britons

The 100 Great Black Britons list was compiled as a response to the BBC's 100 Greatest Britons debate of (November 2002).[1]

Patrick Vernon, founder of black heritage website Every Generation, pointed out that no black people had made it to the top 100, saying that this was due in part to many people being unaware of the achievements and contributions of black people over the centuries.

While some in the Black community saw the project as providing useful role-models, the value of the project was challenged by others, including those nominated for the survey.[2]

The inclusion of some individuals in this list is disputed, as there are contradictory claims as to whether they were black or not not only because of the difficulties in defining what a black person is or is not, but also because some genealogical claims are strongly denied or lack sufficient sources.[3]

Contents

The list, despite its title, contains more than 100 people.

Winners by category

Business

Sport

Greatest Black British Woman

Music

Arts and Culture

Entertainment

Science/Innovation/Design

Public Life - Pioneers of the Past

Public Life - General

Politics

Complete list

  1. Mary Seacole
  2. Wilfred Wood/O.A. Lyseight
  3. Mary Prince
  4. Olaudah Equiano
  5. Courtney Pine
  6. Lord Morris/Sir Trevor McDonald
  7. Dame Shirley Bassey
  8. Bernie Grant
  9. Professor Stuart Hall
  10. Ellery Hanley
  11. Sade Adu
  12. Stephen Lawrence
  13. Ms. Dynamite
  14. Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Queen Charlotte)
  15. Henry Sylvester Williams
  16. Daley Thompson
  17. Lenny Henry
  18. Joan Armatrading
  19. Benjamin Zephaniah
  20. Arthur Wharton/Andrew Watson
  21. Linton Kwesi Johnson
  22. Nana Bonsu/Len Garrison
  23. George of Lydda
  24. Septimus Severus
  25. Rosalind Howells, Baroness Howells of St Davids
  26. Harold Moody
  27. Lennox Lewis
  28. Diane Abbott
  29. William Cuffay
  30. Francis Barber
  31. Ignatius Sancho
  32. Phil Lynott
  33. Moira Stuart
  34. Frank Bruno
  35. Niger Val Dubh
  36. Learie Constantine
  37. Elizabeth Barrett Browning
  38. Robert Wedderburn
  39. Claudia Jones
  40. Herman Ouseley, Baron Ouseley
  41. Craig David
  42. John Barnes
  43. Martin Offiah
  44. Des'ree
  45. Randolph Turpin
  46. Paul Boateng
  47. Dame Cleo Laine
  48. John Taylor, Baron Taylor of Warwick
  49. Ottobah Cuguano
  50. Trevor Phillips
  51. Ian Wright
  52. Linford Christie
  53. Bruce Oldfield
  54. Peter Herbert
  55. Mike Fuller
  56. Lee Jasper
  57. Beverley Knight
  58. Ozwald Boateng
  59. Viv Anderson
  60. Desmond Douglas
  61. Patrick Berry
  62. Brendan Batson
  63. Floella Benjamin
  64. David Pitt, Baron Pitt of Hampstead
  65. John Edmonstone
  66. Kanya King
  67. Val McCalla
  68. Dame Jocelyn Barrows
  69. David Lammy
  70. Oona King
  71. John Archer
  72. Patricia Scotland, Baroness Scotland of Asthal
  73. Valerie Amos, Baroness Amos
  74. George Bridgetower
  75. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
  76. Zadie Smith
  77. Jazzie B
  78. Ira Aldridge
  79. Colin Jackson
  80. Yvonne Brewster
  81. Duonne Alexander
  82. David Case
  83. Tessa Sanderson
  84. Seal
  85. Errol Brown
  86. Rudolph Walker
  87. Gabrielle/Naomi Campbell
  88. Goldie
  89. Mica Paris
  90. Angie Le Mar
  91. Ben Okri
  92. Denise Lewis
  93. Jeremy Guscott
  94. Paul Ince
  95. Nigel Benn/Chris Eubank
  96. John Conteh
  97. Janet Kay
  98. Jenette McDonald
  99. Carroll Thompson
  100. VV Brown

References

  1. ^ "100 Great Black Britons Press Release" (Press release). http://rastaites.com/news/hearticals/100greatest.htm. Retrieved 2006-05-27. 
  2. ^ Guardian Saturday 7 February 2004 debate between Tony Sewell and Amina Taylor
  3. ^ NY Times 23 December 2007 review by Adam Goodheart of Foreigners: "...they included, on the basis of questionable evidence, a few long-dead Britons (like Elizabeth Barrett Browning) who would no doubt have been surprised to hear that they were black."

External links