Last year in my #BlackHistoryWales thread i introduced #JohnYstumllyn one of the first #BlackWelshPeople depicted in this portrait #Ystumllyn #NorthWales Black servant boys were fashion status symbols fashion for the grand houses of 18th century Britain. There were many others...
Before #JohnYstumllyn there was #JosephPotiphar #BlackWelshPeople He was described as' a Black belonging to Sir Rowland Gwin'.

Perhaps the first black person to be baptised in Wales in St John’s Church, #Cardiff on 30 May, 1687. #BlackHistoryWales #BlackBritishHistory
There is also #JohnHanby depicted in this early 18th century portrait as John Mellor’s Coach boy in a country house #Erddig near #Wrexham

In 1721 the rector of a Marchwiel mentions a man referred to only as ‘his Black’ being sent to him for christening. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/6483577.stm
There is a painting entitled Lamprey 'a Racehorse' (1723) at #TredegarHouse #Newport that shows (left corner) #GirolamoBardoletti a black servant who was recorded as ‘Jerolamo the black’. Black servants served an ornamental role and a display of wealth #BlackHistoryWales #BHM365
#GirolamoBardoletti served under two owners. Firstly, Sir William Morgan (1700-1731) then his eldest son, also named William Morgan (1725-1763)

There was another black servant boy at #TredegarHouse ‘David the black’ for whom shoes were bought in 1724
http://friendsmuseumwales.org.uk 
#NathanielWells was first Black person to hold a prestigious role. He stood for Parliamentary Seat of #Monmouthshire (1771) #Justice of the Peace & #Sheriff of Monmouthshire (1818) He was the son of a #Welsh slave merchant #BlackWelshHistory #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackHistoryWales
#NathanielWells inherited wealth+bought #Piercefield Estate #Chepstow 1784 He was also an officer with the local militia+when some #StArvans #Monmouthshire #WelshMiners went on strike 1822 preventing Welsh Coal reaching Iron Works #EbbwVale He also owned slaves in the #Caribbean
Willis 21 arrived from America at #Landore #SwanseaHarbour aboard a cooper ore carrier called the St Peter He heard that 'on British soil no-one was a slave' See landmark case #JamesSomerset v Stewart case (1772) He was granted freedom by the ships captain where he worked (1833)
Did you know African American #FrederickDouglass escaped slavery in 1838 to become a prominent Abolitionist He publishes Autobiography 1845 'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: an American Slave' tours Britain & speaks Mount Pleasant Chapel in #Swansea #BlackHistoryWales
#WilliamWellsBrown #BlackAbolitionists
In 1847 published his memoir 'The Narrative of William W. Brown, a Fugitive Slave' which became a bestseller across the United States, second only to #FrederickDouglass' slave narrative memoir #AfricanAmericansInWales
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wells_Brown
#AlexanderCrummell #BlackAbolitionist #BlackAbolitionists studied at Queens' College Cambridge. He was officially the first black student to graduate there. He continued to travel around #Wales Britain + speak out about slavery + the plight of black people
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Crummell
#IdaBWells investigative journalist, educator + early leader in the civil rights movement #BlackAbolitionists #AfricanAmericansInWales #BlackHistoryMonth
In 1894 Wells tours #Wales She shows shocking photographs of actual lynchings #BlackHistoryWales
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_B._Wells
#JosiahHenson #BlackAbolitionists
His autobiography 'The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, as Narrated by Himself' (1849) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josiah_Henson
#BritishBlackHistory #BlackHistoryMonth
#RevSellaMartin #JohnSellaMartin #BlackAbolitionist #BlackAbolitionists escaped slavery. He was a leading African-American preacher+activist for equality before the American Civil War. He travelled to Britain to lecture against slavery #BritishBlackHistory
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Sella_Martin
#EllenCraft #BlackAbolitionists story is remarkable. She was a fair skinned slave who passed for a white male in a #genderbending escape to freedom on a steamship with her dark skinned #WilliamCraft husband she transported as her slave #BritishBlackHistory
Another former slave #AfricanAmericansInWales #WilliamHall published his memoirs 'Personal Narratives of the Sufferings and Escape of William A Hall: Fugitive Slave Now a Resident in the Town of Cardiff' (1862) #BlackHistoryWales Available digitally here https://archive.org/details/williamhall
From 1890-1912 Welshman #ReverendWilliamHughes ran #Congo House #TheAfricanInstitute in #ColwynBay. Over 100 African young men and women were trained as #Christian #BlackMissionaries Doctors-Teachers-Tailors & Printers for when they returned back to their home. #BlackHistoryWales
Rev Hughes came back with 2students #KinkasaAndNkansa #TheCongoBoys touring Welsh chapels. Kinkasa died age13(1888) not long after arriving in #Wales. Nkansa survived longer, spoke Welsh+English He died age16(1892) . A number of young men #Congo are buried at #OldColwyn Cemetery
Two students of #TheAfricanInstitute Dr Lapado Oluwole was #Nigeria first Medical Officer for Health(left) Davidson Don Tengo Jabavu (right standing with his father)studied #ColwynBay also gained degrees from University College London+Birmingham #BlackBritishHistory #WelshHistory
Davidson Don Tengo Jabavu later returned to #Africa + set up the South African Native College at Fort Hare in the Cape Province. It was there he’d teach a young #NelsonMandela the future #SouthAfrican leader ack. #DDTJabavu as 1 of his mentors who shaped his attitudes on equality
To see more about #ReverendWilliamHughes #KinkasaAndNkansa #TheCongoBoys #TheAfricanInstitute #BlackMissionaries
Please watch #ColwynBay Heritage Group film/photographs of African young men & young women !

#BlackHistoryWales #BlackBritishHistory
And to Read & Learn more about #ReverendWilliamHughes #TheAfricanInstitute #ColwynBay
https://colwynbayheritage.org.uk/the-remarkable-reverend-william-hughes-and-the-african-institute/
Scandal at Congo House: William Hughes and the African Institute, Colwyn Bay: Christopher Draper and John Lawson-Reay: Gwasg Carreg Gwalch (2012)
https://colwynbayheritage.org.uk/the-congo-institute/
A chance discovery of a postcard uncovered the story of a #WelshUniversity alumni #IrisDeFreitas (1896) studied Latin & modern languages, law & jurisprudence
#Aberystwyth University+became the first female lawyer in the Caribbean. In 2016 the university renamed a room after her
Black people were becoming visible in other parts of #Wales In #Swansea at the end of the #Victorian Era + during #Edwardian period such as Two Black sisters from #Lagos Alice & Adelaide Smith #BlackHistoryWales #WelshHistory #BlackBritishHistory #BlackHistoryMonth #BHM
#SamuelColeridgeTaylor #Composer & #Conductor born in London (1875-1912) was the first person of #SierraLeone African heritage to be invited to judge at the #NationalEisteddfod He also conducted at the #Llangollen National #Eisteddfod in 1908 #BlackEdwardians #BlackHistoryWales
To learn more, Please read #BlackEdwardians Black People in Britain 1901 - 914 (1998) and #SamuelColeridgeTaylor a Musical Life (2011) by #JeffreyGreen #BlackHistoryMonthUK #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackBritishHistory

https://jeffreygreen.co.uk/ 
Watch #BlackEdwardians
The docks were the obvious focal for new immigrants with the arrival of sailors + traders from all points of the empire. There were sizeable black communities in all the major Ports of the UK #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackBritishHistory https://vimeo.com/4861506 
Soon after Armistice was signed 1918 many discharged Arab Somali West African & West Indian ex-servicemen who contributed to the efforts of World War 1 took up residence in seaport areas Cardiff, Newport and Barry, where there was already an Indian population made up of lascars
2019 marked 100th Anniversary of #1919RaceRiots African-Americans soldiers returning from WW1 were attacked-shot-murdered-lynched across 25 cities in America known as #RedSummer

#RaceRiots also erupted in #Newport #Cardiff #Wales #England #Scotland https://twitter.com/NMAAHC/status/1192603829730267137
Dr Rufus Leicester Fennell was of West Indian heritage was medically trained in America. He became a dentist in #Pontypridd He became an outstanding leader for #Butetown Cardiff community during #1919RaceRiots and the struggle for racial justice in Britain #BlackHistoryWales
A photograph of Dr Rufus Leicester Fennell can also be found featured in the Western Mail. This article reads 'A man of colour addresses the crowd in #TigerBay 'Cardiff #BlackHistoryWales #BlackHistoryMonth
#LeonardHinds born in Barbados 1887 became a merchant seaman. He served as a fireman on merchant ships during #WW1 He was awarded the Mercantile Marine in 1919. He moved to #Barry where he married a #Welsh woman. He later became a #Blackcoalminers in #Maerdy #BlackHistoryWales
#LeonardHinds died 1948 in #Gelligaer His legacy is 6 generations of Welsh children which inc his son #JohnDarwinHinds & daughter #GwenllianHinds the first black woman councillor. She was elected to #ValeofGlamorgan Council 1972 +served local people in #Barry until her death 2007
#JohnDarwinHinds #JohnHinds son of #LeonardHinds born #Maerdy in 1922. He went to work #Bargoed coalmine after school but left to work in London where he became interested in politics #BlackWelshPeople #WelshHistory #BlackHistoryWales #BlackBritishHistory #BlackHistoryMonth
#JohnHinds was the first Black Mayor in the UK and #Wales’ first Black Councillor.He became Mayor of the #ValeofGlamorgan in 1975 after being elected as a Labour councillor to #Barry Council in 1958.When he joined he was one of only 3 Welsh speaking councillors #BlackHistoryWales
Elvira Gwenllian 'Gwen' Payne (Hinds) (1917-2007) was born in #Barry & was elected to the Vale of Glamorgan Council in 1972. She continued to serve local people at Church & political level. The Hinds family were one of political pioneers for the Caribbean community in South Wales
John Edward Parris #EddieParris 1911-1971 #Pwllmeyric nr #Chepstow was a #Welsh International #BlackFootballer In 1931 made his 1st & only appearance for #Wales against Ireland becoming the first #BlackFootballers to represent #Cymru #BlackHistoryWales #BlackBritishHistory #BHM
In the late 1930s there was a team of #BlackFootballers called #CardiffAllBlacks composed of #Africans #WestIndians #Indians #Somalis #Arabs #Egyptians + were the First Black team to play against semi-professional opposition regularly #BlackHistoryWales
https://www.soccer-history.co.uk/latest-news-events/132-cardiff-all-blacks-black-soccer-team
Alexander "Alex" Givvens #AlexGivvens born in #Newport was a Welsh rugby union& professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s&1940s. He played club level rugby union for #CrossKeys RFC as a scrum-half & representative level rugby league for Wales #BlackHistoryWales
#RoyFrancis (1919-1989) from #Brynmawr #BlaenauGwent is an overlooked illustrious Welsh Legend. Roy Francis was a Welsh rugby union & professional rugby league footballer He won five caps for #Wales and one for GB between 1945 & 1948 #BlackHistoryWales #BlackBritishHistory #bhmUK
#RoyFrancis became Britain's first professional Black sporting coach in the 1950s. Roy Francis was renowned for his innovative coaching methods & was regarded as a visionary. He was one of the first in any sport to introduce video analysis #BlackHistoryWales #BlackBritishHistory
Please also watch @SquidgeRugby short but valuable documentary about the legendary Roy Francis and the #racism he encountered throughout his career.

#RoyFrancis was more than a footnote and needs a chapter #BlackHistoryWales #BlackBritishHistory #bhmUK
George Henry Bennett (8 July 1913 – 31 August 1970) was a Welsh rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. He played club level rugby union for Weston-super-Mare RFC, and representative level rugby league for Wales. #BlackHistoryWales
The Rugby Legend that is #BillyBoston born in #Butetown in 1934.

One of the great Welsh #sportsman to come out from #TigerBay #BlackHistoryWales
Another Rugby legend from #Butetown was #ColinDixon born in 1943. Colin 'Dicko' Dixon former Wales and GB rugby league international. Colin Dixon played at club level for Halifax and Salford, Manchester #BlackHistoryWales #BlackBritishHistory
#DennisBrown born 1944 lived in Loudon Square Cardiff known by the nickname the 'Brown Bomber' a Welsh rugby union & professional rugby league footballer who played between 1965-1975. Dennis Brown won a cap for Wales while at Widnes in 1969 #BlackHistoryWales #BlackBritishHistory
Clive Sullivan (9 April 1943-8 October 1985) was born in #Splott Cardiff #CliveSullivan became the first Black person to captain any British international sports team when he captained the Great Britain Rugby League team in 1972. #BlackHistoryWales #BlackBritishHistory
'The Coloured International Cricket Club' est. around 1916 #Butetown #TigerBay #Cardiff #Wales (photograph c1923) The club lasted for years and had 250 members from many countries inc #WestIndies the southern states of America #WestAfrica #BlackHistoryWales #BlackBritishHistory
Clive Longe (23/02/39–27/12/86) joined the British Royal Air Force and was an athlete. He was spotted by former British decathlon Hywel Williams whilst stationed at RAF St Athan Wales #CliveLonge won the Welsh title in 1964 before going on to win silver in 1966 Commonwealth Games
Neville Meade (12 September 1948 – 13 March 2010) was a British boxer from #Swansea in south Wales. He was born in Montserrat, before he moved to Wales at the age of nine. #BlackHistoryWales #BlackBritishHistory
#NevilleMeade came to prominence when he won the gold medal in the heavyweight division at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in New Zealand. #NevilleMeade turned professional in 1974 + won the Welsh Heavyweight title in 1976. Followed by the British title in 1981. He retired in 1983.
George Frederick Berry (19/11/1957) is a former Welsh International footballer & has five #Wales caps. His first appearance for Wales was in 1979. #GeorgeBerry was born in Germany to a Jamaican father & Welsh mother. He retired from football in 1996 #BlackHistoryWales
In 1939 exiled Ethiopian leader #HaileSelassie was visiting the newly founded Bible College as special guest of Rev Rees Howells #HaileSelassie went on a 2 week camping holiday in #Penllergaer near #Swansea
A sign above his tent reads HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE EMPEROR OF ABYSSINIA
During #HaileSelassie a two week stay at the Penllergare Estate #Penllergaer near #Swansea
World War 2 broke out

You can find out more about Haile Selassie's stay at the Bible College of #Wales here
https://www.byfaith.co.uk/paulreeshowells.htm

#BlackHistoryWales #BlackBritishHistory
You can follow @ShaheenCymru.
Tip: mention @twtextapp on a Twitter thread with the keyword “unroll” to get a link to it.

Latest Threads Unrolled: