A panel of writers, actors, MPs and other public figures each nominated one Black British person, from any time in history, whose face they would like to put on a British postage stamp to mark Black History Month. We asked Guardian readers to tell us who they thought was most deserving and here are some of the responses.
Stuart Hall
A brilliant man who theorised how racism operates in the UK and its relationship to social class. He was at the forefront of the fight for equality and was also an excellent teacher who transformed my understanding of Britain. He was also instrumental in the development of the Open University and in particular its social science department. I first came across his work while studying a D102 foundation course in social science, which [Margaret] Thatcher described as subversive Marxism. This was definitely a recommendation to study his work. Stephen Upton, 71, retired mental health nurse from Kidderminster
Floella Benjamin
The story of her life, from her childhood in Trinidad thinking that the Queen loved her to her receiving top British institutional accolades and awards. She campaigned tirelessly to get a children’s minister installed at cabinet level and for the Windrush generation to be seen and heard with, among many things, a statue in Waterloo station. That’s a snippet of why Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham should take her rightful place on one of our official stamps. Penny Haslam, 54, businesswoman from Warrington
Maggie Aderin-Pocock
In recent times the only required viewing on our TV has been The Sky at Night, which has a half-hour slot on the BBC once a month. I wish it could be a weekly show. One of the attractions of the show is the co-host Maggie Aderin-Pocock. She brings an extraordinary enthusiasm for the subject of astronomy. It is so encouraging to see the stereotypes of who a scientist is and what they look like challenged. This is reinforced when you learn her backstory of being discouraged from pursuing a career in science and making her own telescope as a teenager. Roger Kynaston, IT worker from London
The Lawrence family
The senseless murder of Stephen Lawrence and the Lawrence family’s subsequent campaigning made us focus on how to address the insidious nature of racism in the UK for the first time in a generation. While most Black Britons are keenly aware of how racism touches all aspects of our daily lives, at the time of Stephen’s murder a majority of people in the UK mistakenly believed that racism was a thing of the past. Work carried out by the Lawrence family raised awareness of the need for the urgent reform of many of our public institutions, and it enabled us to have open conversations about the changes required for us to attain equitable outcomes for all of us living in Britain. Charmaine Arbouin, 60, civil servant from London
Mary Seacole
Mary Seacole was voted as the most important Black Briton in Patrick Vernon’s research 100 Great Black Britons. She is a woman who defied the odds to care for soldiers during the Crimean war and she was hailed as a hero by the soldiers she treated. Her story is particularly relevant as we celebrate 75 years of the NHS and the 75th anniversary of Windrush. Cassius Francis, 49, hospital chaplain and minister from Birmingham
Walter Tull
As much as I’d like to nominate a woman, I cannot help but feel Walter Tull has been somewhat sidelined in history. The grandchild of a slave, sent to a home as an orphan, the first mixed-heritage person to qualify in the UK as a dentist, a professional footballer who suffered terrible racial abuse when playing for Tottenham Hotspur, signed up in 1914, was killed in action in March 1918. Should have been awarded the MC. Just a superb example of a great Briton. Jenny Watts, retired from Brighton
Pauline Black
She’s a ska musician with a career that’s in its fourth decade and whose art and work has brought people together across racial divides and prejudices. Pauline Black is also a proud representative of Coventry as a deputy lieutenant and is the recipient of an honorary degree (Coventry University) and an honorary fellowship of Leeds College of Music. Furthermore, she is a patron of Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage in Leicester and patron of CV Folk in Coventry. Does it need more? Surely not! Nicole Cunliffe, 45, administrator from the Isle of Wight
Jessica Ennis-Hill
I nominate Jessica Ennis-Hill, whose triumph at the 2012 London Olympics came after her withdrawal from Team GB four years earlier, causing her to miss the Beijing Games. Visually, the stamp could depict Jessica crossing the line to win gold. The image of her upward glance is inspirational and would be immediately recognisable as a symbol of skill rewarded and determination to succeed at the highest sporting level, while also showing raw emotion and pure joy. Very powerful! Robin Hill, 59, church minister from East Lothian
Olaudah Equiano
A slavery abolitionist of African origin, Equiano’s 1789 autobiography recounting his time as a slave was a bestseller during his lifetime and helped lead to the British Slave Trade Act 1807, which abolished the trade [in the British empire]. He also worked for the betterment of London’s sizeable black community of the time, mostly freed slaves who had fought for the British during the American war of independence. In addition he was an active member of the London Corresponding Society, one of the earliest movements for democratic reform in the UK. Christopher Bright, 64, retired from London
Carl Cox
Carl Cox is an iconic British techno DJ and ambassador for music around the world. He played a key role in the unique contribution of Black culture in the UK to the emergence of the global dance music scene as we know it today. Matt Connell, 57, university lecturer from Derbyshire
