Page 120 - 2018 Powerlist

Dido Elizabeth Belle
(1761-1804) was raised by
the Earl of Mansfield,
England’s most powerful
judge. Mansfield’s
landmark ruling in 1772
that stopped an enslaved
man from being re-sold
proved significant in the
story of Abolition. Dido
Elizabeth Belle is credited
with influencing her
uncle’s ideas about liberty
and possibly this ruling.
Dido Elizabeth Belle, Reproduction
of 1789 portrait of Dido with her
cousin, Lady Elizabeth Murray.
Attributed to Johann Zoffany, with
permission of Scone Palace.

WE ARE ONE
History, unity, generosity

Black women have been part of British history for centuries. Their
lives have embodied the qualities of courage, intelligence and
independence. They have built communities, raised families and carved
out identities as pioneers, activists and artists. But despite these
achievements, their stories have been poorly documented and their
participation in British society has become lost. Telling these stories is
what the Brixton-based Black Cultural Archives (BCA) does. This year
they partnered with the Powerlist to celebrate 1,700 years of black women
in Britain. At the Influencers Dinner, they exhibited images of historic,
pioneering and inspirational women.
They did something else just as inspirational. “We launched We Are
One at the Powerlist 2018 dinner and our goal over the next 5 years is
to raise at least £30 million,” says Patricia Hamzahee, Chair of the
BCA Development Board, “to provide a secure annual investment
income of £1 million. This funding will enable the expansion of our
collection, allow us to mount more outstanding exhibitions, ensure
universal access to our archives through digitisation and mobilisation,
enable our Learning Team to reach many more students of all ages and
to provide BCA with the specialist expertise of a world-class professional
cultural institution”. The generosity of all BCA supporters helps fulfill the
vision of elevating African and Caribbean heritage to its rightful place
within Britain’s history. Together. As one.
bcaheritage.org.uk

116 Powerlist 2018