As October is Black History Month we want to celebrate inspirational black scousers, here are 5 people that have inspired and made an impact.
Gee Walker is the mother of Anthony Walker who was killed in a racially motivated attack in 2005. Since the murder of her son, she created The Anthony Walker Foundation, a racism and hate crime charity to build stronger and safer communities.
The foundation delivers Hate crime support services, education, consultancy and campaigns and partnerships with a mission to promote racial harmony. Gee did not want her son’s death to be in vain and has publicly stated that she forgives his killers. A huge act of forgiveness that has inspired others. The charity also provides a bursary for students from poorer backgrounds to study law.
Gloria Hyatt made local history in 1993 when she became Liverpool’s first Black Headteacher and set up an ‘outstanding academy’ in Toxteth. She said she became a headteacher because of how dissatisfied she was with the education system, she wanted Children to know they could do more of what was expected of them. Gloria said she was inspired to become a teacher because of the kindness of one of her own teachers therefore she decided to take up teacher training once she left school.
Howard Gayle is an English former footballer from Toxteth, Liverpool and was the first Black player to play for Liverpool. He signed a professional contract with Liverpool in 1977 and said, ‘I was proud to represent the Black community of Liverpool.’ Despite people telling him ‘You have to be twice as good’ because of his race, he still went on to see success.
He has a variety of charity work since retiring from football and has become an anti- racism campaigner as well as working with ‘Kick it out’ and ‘Show Racism the Red Card’.
A recent mural has been painted of Gayle, located on Upper Warwick Street as an appreciation to his time in Liverpool, achievements in football, his activism, and his stance against racism.
Irene Afull was the first Black, female inspector for Merseyside police and then later went on to start her own business coaching and personal development company. Irene has a master’s degree in Police leadership, specialising in organisational culture, equality and diversity. And she went on to lead the Phoenix Leadership program which was designed to target the recruitment of under-represented groups in Merseyside Police. She wanted her own business as she wanted to ‘only answer to myself and choose my own hours so I could spend quality time with my son’.
John Archer was born in Liverpool in 1863 and made history in 1913 when he became the mayor of Battersea. He was a politician and civil rights campaigner. Despite him starting his political career outside of Liverpool he was said to have inspired many marginalised communities to be more involved in politics. His painting now hangs in Liverpool town Hall.
Find out what’s happening in Liverpool for Black History Month here and explore the Guild’s More Than a Month campaign here.