Page 43 - Urban Kapital Magazine Autumn 21

BLACK

HISTORY

CHANGE MAKERS:

SAMUEL CELESTINE
EDWARDS

Born in 1858 in Dominica, Samuel He’s believed to be the first black
Celestine Edwards was an editor, on the dangers of drinking after editor to have worked in the UK.
a scholar, a campaigner, and one of the becoming a devout methodist while
people who brought the cause of sailing.
anti-racism to Wearside. The power of his writing remains
He became a regular speaker at the striking, and he delivered uncom-
new Assembly Hall on Fawcett Street, fortable truths and powerful
Believed to be Britain’s first black news- as well as speaking at the Bethesda critiques of Britain’s imperialist
paper editor, he’s one of the people UK Chapel on Tatham Street and at other actions to the public.
is celebrating as we explore the many venues around the city.
stories of black people in the country as Celestine worked tirelessly for his
part of Black History Month. He became a regular speaker at the cause, even after a doctor advised
new Assembly Hall on Fawcett Street, him to slow down because his
as well as speaking at the Bethesda health was deteriorating.
According to The Black Heroes Foun- Chapel on Tatham Street and at other
dation, Celestine was educated at a venues around the city.
chapel school in Antigua, stowing away In early 1894, he returned to Sun-
on a French ship at 12 and becoming a derland as part of a ‘farewell tour’
sailor. There, he would speak on points of the UK, speaking about the evils
of theology and argue passionate- of slavery at the Coffee Tavern on
ly against imperialism and racism, High Street West, but also with
After spending some time traveling in speeches which, according to the pride and optimism for the future
the world, he relocated to the United Sunderland Daily Echo in 1891, were
Kingdom, first to Edinburgh and then “listened to with great attention”.
to Sunderland, where, according to
Seagull City, a website dedicated to the
city’s literary and cultural heritage, he Celestine then moved to London and
began working as an insurance agent, his editing work began, helping for-
earning an impressive £80 per year at mer slave Walter Hawkins to write his
the time. autobiography, and becoming editor
of Christian magazine ‘Lux’ and the
He had embraced the temperance anti-racist ‘Fraternity’ monthly
movement and lectured in the city magazine. MAGAZINE // 43