NEWS: Hitchin’s Great Black Britons posters to be replaced after campaign’s co-founder intervenes
After posters that celebrate the contribution of Black British people to the United Kingdom’s history were vandalised in Hitchin last month, the co-founder of the campaign has confirmed replacement posters will be put up.
The posters were originally placed by Christchurch in Bedford Road, by local resident Edward Selby, who said his only aim was to “raise awareness of the positive impact of Black people in our nation’s history”.
But, pictures that championed the achievements of Black Brits, including Lewis Hamilton, Sir Lenny Henry, Mary Seacole, Nicola Adams and more, were defaced by vandals at the end of October.
This led Herts police to confirm they would be investigating this instance of racially-aggravated vandalism as a potential hate crime.
When he first heard about this, the original founder of the Great Black Britons campaign, Patrick Vernon OBE, said he was “shocked and horrified”.
Patrick added: “I was horrified when I heard about this act of vandalism that happened during Black History Month.
“The campaign is about raising awareness, sharing the history of Britain. I’m very disappointed that some people seem to be in denial of our contribution to Britain.
“We will be sending replacement posters to Edward that can replace some of the defaced images.”
100 Great Black Britons has been published in a book format, collating a list of influential Black Britons and honouring their contribution to British history.
Police confirm hate crime investigation as Hitchin’s Great Black Britons posters vandalised
Campaign launched in Hitchin aims to celebrate Black British history