Helene, baptised 2nd May 1593

Baptismal records state that the illegitimate Helene, baptised 2nd May 1593, was the daughter of Cristian, the negro servant of Richard Sheere. It also states that the supposed father was Cuthbert Holman. Eg. Sheere rented out Cristian to his friends for sexual novelty & experimentation.

Source: 45 mins into TV documentary: Episode 3 (Brave New World) of ‘Time Traveller’s Guide to Elizabethan England by Dr Ian Mortimer, June 2013

Lozells & Handsworth Heritage Trail

Lozells & Handsworth Heritage Trail: The #trailLH has been amazing - well done to @AftabRahman & all involved #lozells #Handsworth pic.twitter.com/hBtveWxknI

John Archer in 2013 stamp issue

John Archer in 2013 stamp issue

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2309694/John-Archer-Afro-Caribbean-elected-public-office-London-honoured-alongside-Lloyd-George-new-set-stamps.html

Drapetomania - racist pseudoscience

Drapetomania: Article of the Day at www.thefreedictionary.com: Today considered to be a glaring example of pseudoscience, drapetomania was a supposed mental illness described by American physician Samuel A. Cartwright in 1851. In a paper prepared for the Medical Association of Louisiana, Cartwright explained that the disorder caused black slaves to run away from their masters. He further speculated that the malady was caused by masters who treated slaves as equals.

influential black Briton Piers Linney becomes new member of BBC2's Dragons' Den

Cloud computing pioneer Piers Linney becomes the new member of the BBC 2 show Dragons' Den, replacing Theo Paphitis.

Linney, the joint chief executive of Outsourcery, previously featured on TV in the Channel 4 show Secret Millionaire.

Linney will join regulars Duncan Bannatyne, Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden and another new Dragon, interior designer Kelly Hoppen (who replaced Hilary Devey).

In the show business leaders hear pitches from entrepreneurs before deciding whether to invest.

Linney, a qualified solicitor also worked as an investment banker and venture capital fund manager and was named in The Power List of the UK's 100 most influential black Britons. His company Outsourcery was launched in 2007 and employs 150 people across the UK.

Adapted from information at: www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21734003

Hostile 'Historians'!

Sunday Politics West Midlands: 03/03/2013 http://bbc.in/12dolWW David Starkey still harping on Mary Seacole and seeing British Black History as a threat, rather than as an opportunity!