On the heel of the Bank of England’s plans to issue the new plastic material polymer £50 note in 2020 and requesting suggestions from the public, Labor Minister of Parliament Wes Streeting has taken the opportunity to nominate Mary Seacole, also known as the black Florence Nightingale, and highlight her accomplishments.
Streeting commented to Telegraph which was published by Voice Online, “Mary Seacole’s achievements are too often overlooked in history and yet what she did for soldiers in the Crimean War was an act of great heroism which led to her being voted the greatest black Briton.”
This is also reminiscent of the fight across the pond in the United States to have Harriet Tubman placed on the face of the $20. The project has been mired with stop and go progress and promises that have not been put into fruition.
Yet, this does not lessen the fact that black women have made significant strides in Western societies yet their accomplishments are rarely spoken about or lauded.
Let’s learn more about three iconic black British women who should be on the cover of the pound banknotes:
