The African and Caribbean War Memorial in

Brixton Brixton is a district in south London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th ce ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, is the United Kingdom's national memorial to

African African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** Ethn ...

and

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

service personnel who fought in the

First First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

and

Second World Wars World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. It originated with a project for a memorial to Caribbean

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

veterans of World War II who arrived in Britain in 1948 on the MV ''Empire Windrush''; this was an extension of the commemorative plaque and sculpture scheme run by the

Nubian Jak Community Trust Nubian Jak Community Trust (NJCT) is a commemorative plaque and sculpture scheme founded by Jak Beula that highlights the historic contributions of Black and minority ethnic people in Britain. The first NJCT heritage plaque, honouring Bob Marley, ...

to highlight the historic contributions of Black and minority ethnic people in Britain.Tracey Francis
"African and Caribbean War Memorial"
''Keep The Faith'', 18 May 2017. The memorial was originally to have been placed at

Tilbury Docks The Port of Tilbury is a port on the River Thames at Tilbury in Essex, England. It is the principal port for London, as well as being the main United Kingdom port for handling the importation of paper. There are extensive facilities for contai ...

, as part of the commemoration for the centenary of the outbreak of World War I. However, as the project began to evolve into a larger tribute that included both World Wars and commemorated servicemen and women from both

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

and the

, it was agreed by the memorial recipient – the

Port of Tilbury The Port of Tilbury is a port on the River Thames at Tilbury in Essex, England. It is the principal port for London, as well as being the main United Kingdom port for handling the importation of paper. There are extensive facilities for contai ...

– and the project organisers that a new, more accessible location needed to found. The memorial was ultimately permanently installed and unveiled on 22 June 2017 in

Windrush Square Windrush Square (often referred to by its original name, Brixton Oval) is an open public space in the centre of Brixton, South London, occupying an area in front of the Brixton Tate Library. After changing its name to Tate Gardens, it was again ...

, Brixton.

Background

While the

Imperial War Museum Imperial War Museums (IWM) is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. Founded as the Imperial War Museum in 1917, the museum was intended to record the civil and military ...

holds records for almost 70,000 memorials to the First and Second World Wars in the UK, there was not one memorial specifically dedicated to commemorating the contributions to victory made by more than two million servicemen and -women from the Caribbean and Africa in both World Wars, until the initiation of the African and Caribbean War Memorial project by the

, which set out to remedy the neglect and oversight.

Location

After exploring a number of potential sites, including the National Arboretum in

Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands Cou ...

and the

South Bank The South Bank is an entertainment and commercial district in central London, next to the River Thames opposite the City of Westminster. It forms a narrow strip of riverside land within the London Borough of Lambeth (where it adjoins Alber ...

and

Peckham Peckham () is a district in southeast London, within the London Borough of Southwark. It is south-east of Charing Cross. At the United Kingdom Census 2001, 2001 Census the Peckham ward had a population of 14,720. History "Peckham" is a Saxon p ...

Square in London, and having consulted local stakeholders, the Trust finally settled on Windrush Square in the heart of Brixton, South London. The area has a strong connection with African and Caribbean culture and history, since the arrival on the MV ''Empire Windrush'' at Tilbury, near London, on 22 June 1948, bringing the first large group of West Indian migrants to the UK, among them many former servicemen. Mike Phillips
"Windrush - the Passengers"
British History: The Making of Modern Britain, BBC Online, 1998. Retrieved 4 October 2006. The arrivals were temporarily housed in the

Clapham South Clapham South is a station on London Underground's Northern line between and Balham. The station is located at the corner of Balham Hill (A24) and Nightingale Lane, at the southern edge of Clapham Common. It is in both Travelcard Zone 2 and Tr ...

deep shelter in southwest London, about two miles away from

Coldharbour Lane Coldharbour Lane is a road in south London, England, that leads south-westwards from Camberwell to Brixton. The road is over long with a mixture of residential, business and retail buildings - the stretch of Coldharbour Lane near Brixton Ma ...

in Brixton. Many only intended to stay in Britain for a few years, and although a number returned to the Caribbean, the majority remained to settle permanently. The African and Caribbean War Memorial was temporarily displayed outside the Black Cultural Archives, 1 Windrush Square, Brixton, at 11:11am, on 11 November 2014, at an

Armistice Day Armistice Day, later known as Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth and Veterans Day in the United States, is commemorated every year on 11 November to mark Armistice of 11 November 1918, the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I a ...

ceremony — attended by veteran Sam King (1926–2016) among others — marking the centenary of World War I.

Design

The African and Caribbean War Memorial was designed by

Jak Beula Jak Beula Dodd (born John Bubeula Dodd on 4 July 1963), commonly known as Jak Beula, is a British entrepreneur and cultural activist of Caribbean heritage, who is best known for inventing the board game Nubian Jak and designing the African and Ca ...

of the

. It consists of two 6-foot

obelisks An obelisk (; from grc, ὀβελίσκος ; diminutive of ''obelos'', " spit, nail, pointed pillar") is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape or pyramidion at the top. Originally constructed by Anc ...

made from Scottish whinstone, weighing approximately 0.75 tons. It is inscribed with the name of every regiment from Africa and the Caribbean who served in World Wars I and II, as well as where they served, and when."Memorial To 'Overlooked' African And Caribbean War Veterans – The sculpture is the first of its kind in Europe to honour black personnel"
''The Voice'', 10 November 2014. It also includes a

pyramid A pyramid (from el, πυραμίς ') is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge to a single step at the top, making the shape roughly a pyramid in the geometric sense. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilat ...

plinth A pedestal (from French ''piédestal'', Italian ''piedistallo'' 'foot of a stall') or plinth is a support at the bottom of a statue, vase, column, or certain altars. Smaller pedestals, especially if round in shape, may be called socles. In c ...

made from Ancaster stone and weighing just under 1.5 tons (combined weight 3 tons). The memorial is supported by

Lambeth Council Lambeth London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Lambeth in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, and one of the 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. The council meets at Lambeth Town Hall ...

, the

Department of Communities and Local Government The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), formerly the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for housing, communities, local government in ...

, the

Foreign and Commonwealth Office The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, department of the Government of the United Kingdom. Equivalent to other countries' Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ministries of fore ...

, the

Heritage Lottery Fund The National Lottery Heritage Fund, formerly the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), distributes a share of National Lottery funding, supporting a wide range of heritage projects across the United Kingdom. History The fund's predecessor bodies were ...

, the Black Cultural Archives, Madstone Limited, the Association of West Indian Personnel and a number of community stakeholders. Inscribed on the memorial are the names of every regiment from Africa and the Caribbean that contributed services to both world wars, and the words:

In Memory Of The Service Men And Women From Africa And The Caribbean Who Served Alongside The Forces Of The British Commonwealth And Her Allies During WW1 and WW2

Installation and unveiling

The memorial was in storage after November 2014, while two planning applications were submitted, and fundraising efforts made to cover the cost of its manufacture, plinth design and installation ceremony (which had originally planned for Armistice Day in November 2016). Planning permission was finally granted on 28 September 2016. When the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

visited the Black Cultural Archives in February 2017 and was made aware of the memorial, he said in a speech:

"It’s so encouraging that now, at last, you have a centre such as this, which allows you to develop so many opportunities but also to bring the message to so many people in this country and elsewhere about the remarkable contribution made over so long, by people of African and Caribbean descent who have contributed so much to this country."

The date chosen for the African and Caribbean War Memorial to be permanently installed in Windrush Square was 22 June 2017, when an unveiling and dedication ceremony was held. Other associated activities included a play, ''Remembered'', at the Paul Robeson Theatre in Hounslow, West London, and the launch of a book entitled ''Remembered: In Memoriam'', an anthology of essays, articles and narratives about African and Caribbean experiences during and in the aftermath of the world wars, compiled by Jak Beula and Nairobi Thompson. In a letter of support to the Nubian Jak Community Trust, Her Majesty

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

said: "It is now over 70 years since the end of that war, but it is just as important to remember the ultimate sacrifice made by those men and women who were prepared to lay down their live for our freedoms." The unveiling ceremony was attended by war veterans, Commonwealth High Commissioners and other dignitaries, as well as members of the public. Nadine White
"Memorial Unveiled For Black Soldiers Who Fought For Britain"
''The Voice'', 26 June 2017. Jak Beula said: "More than two million African and Caribbean military servicemen and servicewomen participated in the two world wars but they have not been recognised for their contribution. The unveiling of this memorial is to correct this historical omission and to ensure young people of African and Caribbean descent are aware of the valuable input their forefathers had in the two world wars." ''

The Voice The Voice may refer to: Fictional entities * The Voice or Presence, a fictional representation of God in DC Comics * The Voice (''Dune''), a fictional ability in the ''Dune'' universe * The Voice, a character in the American TV series ''Cleo ...

'' newspaper reported:

"Proceedings opened with instrumental offerings from the
Ministry of Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
(MOD) military band, London All Stars Steel Orchestra and African and Caribbean drummers. These were followed by neutral prayer, delivered by two children, as well as a Christian prayer and a Muslim one. A libation was given by Professor
Gus John Augustine John (born 11 March 1945)Biography
, Gus John website. is a Grenada, Grenadian-born writer, e ...
, a priest of African traditional religious persuasion – an ode to the diverse beliefs nurtured across this country. The ceremony began with a spectacular, traditional military salute and a display of flag and ensigns for each regiment by commonwealth defence representatives of land, air and sea. This was followed by African commemorative war music and dance. Medals were given out to the ex-servicemen and women who made extraordinary contributions to the war effort and public life."

Those named as being honoured with medals were

Alhaji Grunshi Alhaji Grunshi, , serving in the Gold Coast Regiment, was the first soldier in British service to fire a shot in the First World War. First World War At the start of the First World War, Germany's West African colony of Togoland was isolated from ...

, Lionel Turpin,

Walter Tull Walter Daniel John Tull (28 April 1888 – 25 March 1918) was an English professional footballer and British Army officer of Afro-Caribbean descent. He played as an inside forward and half back for Clapton, Tottenham Hotspur and Northampton Tow ...

, William Robinson Clarke,

Cy Grant Cyril Ewart Lionel "Cy" Grant (8 November 1919 – 13 February 2010) was a Guyanese actor, musician, writer, and poet. In the 1950s, he became the first black person to be featured regularly on television in Britain,Kurt Barling '' The Inde ...

Ulric Cross Philip Louis Ulric Cross (1 May 1917 – 4 October 2013) was a Trinidadian jurist, diplomat and Royal Air Force (RAF) navigator, recognised as possibly the most decorated West Indian of World War II. He is credited with helping to prevent some ...

, Sam King,

Una Marson Una Maud Victoria Marson (6 February 1905 – 6 May 1965) was a Jamaican feminist, activist and writer, producing poems, plays and radio programmes. She travelled to London in 1932 and became the first black woman to be employed by the BBC d ...

Charles Drew Charles Drew may refer to: * Charles R. Drew (1904–1950), American physician, surgeon, and medical researcher * Charles Drew (cricketer) (1888–1960), Australian cricketer * Charles Drew (surgeon) (1916–1987), cardiothoracic surgeon * Charles ...

, Norma Best and Allan Wilmot. Present to receive his medal in person, 93-year-old veteran Wilmot (former member of 1950s group

The Southlanders The Southlanders was a Jamaican and British vocal group formed in 1950 by Edric Connor and Vernon Nesbeth. Nesbeth had received singing lessons from Connor, and when Connor decided to record an album of Jamaican songs, he asked Nesbeth to assem ...

), said: "I'm glad that I'm still alive to witness it (the recognition).""African and Caribbean service in world wars recognised"
ITV News, 22 June 2017. Also in attendance was the Defence Secretary

Michael Fallon Sir Michael Cathel Fallon (born 14 May 1952) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Defence from 2014 to 2017. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Sevenoaks from 1997 to 2019, h ...

, who said that the recognition is long overdue: "The UK is indebted to all those servicemen and women from Africa and the Caribbean who volunteered to serve with Britain during the First and Second World Wars. It is thanks to their bravery and sacrifice that we are able to enjoy our freedoms today. We should also congratulate those who have worked tirelessly to place this memorial in the heart of Brixton.""First ever memorial to African and Caribbean Service Personnel unveiled in Brixton"
Ministry of Defence, 22 June 2017. Mayor of London

Sadiq Khan Sadiq Aman Khan (; born 8 October 1970) is a British politician serving as Mayor of London since 2016. He was previously Member of Parliament (MP) for Tooting from 2005 until 2016. A member of the Labour Party, Khan is on the party's sof ...

spoke in his address of the "courageous African and Caribbean men and women who fought with the British army during the First and Second World War", noting: "As a society we must never forget the sacrifices they made. It's vital that we pass this on to future generations, connecting children with their history."

"I Have a Song: Memorial Aid Project"

In support of the memorial, a fundraising single entitled "I Have A Song", composed and performed by

Eric Roberson Eric Roberson (born September 27, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, former rapper and music producer. He is sometimes referred to simply as Erro, the name which he later used as part of his label Blue Erro Soul. His first single, "Represen ...

and

, was launched at the

Houses of Parliament The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Informally known as the Houses of Parliament, the Palace lies on the north bank ...

in 2016. Nonagenarian veteran Allan Wilmot has a starring role in the video of the song, which also features many artists representing reggae, hip-hop, Afro Beat and World music."'I Have a Song' for the African & Caribbean Memorial"
, David F. Roberts, 7 March 2016.

References

External links

*
"UK: First War Memorial to African and Caribbean Soldiers Unveiled"
VoxAfrica UK, 23 June 2017.

''

Belfast Telegraph The ''Belfast Telegraph'' is a daily newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland, by Independent News & Media. Its editor is Eoin Brannigan. Reflecting its unionist tradition, the paper has historically been "favoured by the Protestant po ...

'', 23 June 2017. * Mark Babatunde
"U.K. Unveils Memorial for African, Caribbean Soldiers Who Served During World Wars"
''Face2Face Africa'', 26 June 2017. {{coords, 51.4605, -0.1148, display=title 2017 establishments in England 2017 sculptures 2017 in London Black British history British Empire in World War II Brixton Buildings and structures in the London Borough of Lambeth Military memorials in London Obelisks in England Outdoor sculptures in London World War I memorials in the United Kingdom World War II memorials in the United Kingdom