Patrick Vernon

Wolverhampton campaign honours Black man who died in police custody 40 years ago

Nearly forty years after Clinton McCurbin, a 23-year-old Black man, died in police custody at a Wolverhampton Next store, community leaders and campaigners have launched a movement to ensure his life and legacy are remembered.

A Mother’s Call for Justice

Clinton’s mother, Esther McCurbin, said her family has carried the pain in silence for decades:

“For nearly four decades, my son’s death has been overlooked and buried. This campaign is our way of saying: his life mattered. His death mattered.”

Remembering and Reckoning

The newly formed Clinton McCurbin Memorial Committee, chaired by Professor Patrick Vernon OBE, aims to establish a Blue Plaque, annual remembrance events, and education programmes. Vernon described Clinton’s death as a defining moment in the fight for racial justice:

“It is time for truth. It is time for healing.”

Five Pillars of the Campaign

• A permanent public memorial in Wolverhampton

• Annual remembrance events around February 20

• Education and arts programmes in schools and communities

• National advocacy on deaths in custody and systemic racism

• A digital archive and storytelling platform

  

Healing Together

Committee member Ruth South emphasised the importance of collective healing:

“This campaign is about more than a memorial. It’s about bringing people together — and saying: you are not alone.”

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