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Patrick Vernon
OBE
Born
Patrick Philip Vernon

1961 (age 62–63)
Wolverhampton, England
EducationManchester Metropolitan University; Warwick University
Occupation(s)Social commentator and political activist
Known forSuccessful campaign for Windrush Day
AwardsHonorary degree of Doctor of Letters, University of Wolverhampton
Websitehttps://patrickvernon.org.uk/

Patrick Philip Vernon OBE[1] (born 1961)[2] is a British social commentator and political activist of Jamaican heritage, who works in the voluntary and public sector. He is a former Labour councillor in the London Borough of Hackney. His career has been involved with developing and managing health and social care services, including mental health, public health, regeneration and employment projects. Also a film maker and amateur cultural historian, he runs his own social enterprise promoting the history of diverse communities, as founder of Every Generation and the "100 Great Black Britons" campaign.[3][4] He is also an expert on African and Caribbean genealogy in the UK.[5][6] He was appointed a Clore Fellow in 2007,[7] an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honours for "services to the Reduction of Health Inequalities for Ethnic Minorities",[8] and in 2018 was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Wolverhampton.[9]

Vernon led a successful campaign for 22 June to be recognized annually as Windrush Day, a national day acknowledging the migrant contribution to UK society,[10][11] which was officially backed by the British government in 2018.[12]

In 2019, he was appointed associate director of Communities at the Centre for Ageing Better,[13] a National Lottery Community funded charity looking to improve the lives of those approaching later life.[14]

Biography

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Education and early years

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Patrick Vernon was born in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire (now in the West Midlands), England, to Norris and Avis Vernon,[15][16] who had migrated to the UK from Jamaica in the 1950s.[17] Vernon traced his lineage as far back as the 1800s,[18] to a village in Senegal called Kédougou.[2][19]

He grew up in the All Saints and Penn Fields areas of Wolverhampton,[15] attending Grove Junior School, Colton Hills, and Wulfrun College,[20] before going on to study law at Manchester Metropolitan University.

He later undertook postgraduate studies at Warwick University.[21] He moved to London in 1989.[22]

Health and social care work

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Vernon initially worked in health and social care, where he was a manager for Citizens Advice Bureau and a civil servant at the Department of Health and Local Government Association. He later served as director of the Brent Health Action Zone (Brent Primary Care Trust), and Regional Director for charity MIND. He later worked in the third sector for a number of organisations focussing on the mental health of refugees, immigrants and prisoners.[23][18]

He was associate member for the Department of History of Medicine at Warwick University,[24] an advisory board member for the mental health campaign Time To Change, and a former ministerial adviser for mental health.[23] He was a member of the independent Metropolitan Police inquiry on Mental Health and Policing.[25][26]

Every Generation Media and family history work

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In 2002, Vernon founded Every Generation Media[27] to develop education programmes, publications and films on cultural heritage and family history,[6] with the Every Generation website becoming one of the main sites on family history for African and Caribbean communities in Britain.[16] In 2003, he launched the successful "100 Great Black Britons" campaign, in response to a television series broadcast by the BBC called 100 Greatest Britons (a list topped by Winston Churchill through public nomination), in order "to raise the profile of the Black contribution to Britain and to challenge the notion of Britishness."[28]

The campaign received wide coverage in the national print and television media, with Mary Seacole eventually announced as having been voted the greatest Black Briton.[29] In 2019, the decision was taken to relaunch and update the poll,[30] and the results of the updated poll were revealed in a new book entitled 100 Great Black Britons, written by Vernon with Angelina Osborne, that was published on 24 September 2020.[31][32]

Windrush Day and community activism

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Vernon was among the first to call for the national celebration of "Windrush Day" on 22 June, to recognise the migrant contribution to UK society, marking the day in 1948 when the Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury, bringing the first big group of post-war migrants from the West Indies to Britain.[10][33][34] He was appointed an OBE in 2012, in recognition of his work to promote health equality for Black and minority ethnic communities.[15]

In 2017, Vernon was elected to Fellowship of the Royal Historical Society (RHS)[35] and he is a member of the RHS's Race, Ethnicity and Equality Working Group,[36][37] which in 2018 published Race, Ethnicity & Equality in UK History: A Report and Resource for Change.[38]

In May 2018, following his earlier campaign for Windrush Day and his 2013 petition to the British government, Vernon relaunched a petition asking the Prime Minister to recognise 22 June as a national day to commemorate and celebrate migration and migrant communities in Britain.[39][40][41] It was later announced by the government that an annual Windrush Day would be celebrated, supported by a grant of up to £500,000, to recognise and honour the contribution of the Windrush Generation and their descendants and to "keep their legacy alive for future generations, ensuring that we all celebrate the diversity of Britain’s history."[12][42]

In April 2020, after his sister's partner died from the COVID-19 virus, Vernon set up a fundraising initiative called "The Majonzi Fund" which will provide families from Black & Minority ethnicities with access to small financial grants that can be used to access bereavement counselling and organise memorial events and tributes after the social lockdown has been lifted.[43]

Vernon featured on the August 2020 cover of British Vogue as one of 20 activists "ready to change the world".[44]

Vernon played a pivotal role in obtaining a Blue Plaque in memory of British immigrant rights activist Paulette Wilson, a member of the Windrush Generation.[45] The plaque was launched with campaigners including Claire Darke at the Wolverhampton Heritage Centre.[46] The centre is a cornerstone of the area's local Caribbean community and was formerly the constituency office of Enoch Powell where the infamous Rivers of Blood speech was written.[47]

Political career

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Vernon served for eight years as a Labour councillor for the Queensbridge ward in the London Borough of Hackney, stepping down in May 2014, when the ward was abolished.[18][48] He was appointed as chair of the Labour Party's Race Equality Advisory Group in December 2015.[49]

Controversy

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In 2015, Vernon was caught up in controversy after he asserted that the design of the flag of the Black Country, which features a chain motif, was offensive and insensitive.[50][51] Vernon has claimed that this led to him being "dragged into an online hate campaign after saying that the flag's chain motif represents an image of an industry which profited from the transatlantic slave trade."[52]

Cultural contributions

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As a film-maker, Vernon's work includes directing and producing A Charmed Life, a documentary about the Caribbean contribution in the UK during World War II, focusing on Jamaican ex-serviceman Eddie Martin Noble.[33][53][54][55]

Among the outlets for which Vernon writes are The Guardian, The Voice,[18] and Media Diversified.[56] In 2017, the 30th anniversary of Black History Month in Britain, he was appointed as guest editor for Black History Month Magazine.[57][58]

As MC Patrick Vernon, he presents Museum of Grooves, a podcast that explores Afrofuturism.[59][60]

Publications

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Books

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  • With Angelina Osborne, 100 Great Black Britons, Robinson Press. 2020; ISBN 9 781 472 144300.[61]
  • Editor, with Yansie Rolston, Black Grief and Healing: Why We Need to Talk About Health, Inequality, Trauma and Loss, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, September 2024, ISBN 9781839973277.[62]

Selected articles

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Selected awards and recognition

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References

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  1. ^ "Queen's birthday Honours list in full", The Daily Telegraph, 16 June 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Patrick Vernon" Archived 1 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Sankofa 2013: Teachers' Resource Pack, p. 41.
  3. ^ Chandler, Mark (10 June 2019). "Robinson snaps up 100 Great Black Britons book". The Bookseller. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d "Every Generation Media Timeline".
  5. ^ Vernon, Patrick. "African Diaspora Approaches to Family History & the Collections of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)". Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  6. ^ a b c "Patrick Vernon OBE", Specialist Speakers.
  7. ^ "Distinguished friends: Patrick Vernon OBE". [[Migration Museum, London|]]. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Influential health equality advocate Patrick Vernon OBE joins HSIB". HSIB. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Patrick Vernon OBE". Cumberland Lodge. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  10. ^ a b c Vernon, Patrick (25 January 2010). "Windrush Day: a fitting way to celebrate our immigrant population". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  11. ^ a b Vernon, Patrick (9 May 2018). "The Windrush shaped Britain. Why not recognise that?". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  12. ^ a b Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government and Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, "Annual day of celebrations for the Windrush Generation" (Press release), UK Government, 18 June 2018.
  13. ^ "Patrick Vernon – Associate Director for Communities". Centre for Ageing Better. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  14. ^ "What we do". Centre for Ageing Better. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  15. ^ a b c "Patrick Vernon" Archived 1 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine, Black History & Heritage Wolverhampton.
  16. ^ a b Kimone Thompson, "Patrick Vernon's journey home – A Jamaican Briton traces his roots", Jamaica Observer, 25 September 2011.
  17. ^ a b Ellie Broughton, "Hackney councillor Patrick Vernon awarded OBE in Queen's birthday honours", Hackney Citizen, 11 July 2012.
  18. ^ a b c d "The last supper: Patrick Vernon dines with Hackney Citizen", Hackney Citizen, 5 June 2014.
  19. ^ a b Patrick Vernon, "'How I Tried To Trace My Roots Back To Africa'", The Gleaner, 18 May 2011.
  20. ^ "Award for community activist". University of Wolverhampton. 20 September 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  21. ^ "5 Minute Interview – Patrick Vernon – Chief Executive, The Afiya Trust", ReConnect Africa.
  22. ^ "Doctor Patrick Vernon, OBE". Gelliwig Outdoor Residential Activities Centre. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  23. ^ a b Patrick Vernon profile at The Guardian.
  24. ^ "Patrick Vernon, OBE - Associate Member". News at the Centre for the History of Medicine. University of Warwick. 30 January 2013.
  25. ^ Lord Victor Adebowale, "Independent Commission’s Public Consultation on Mental Health and Policing", HuffPost, 14 February 2013.
  26. ^ "Exposed: The Truth About Policing", The Voice, 25 May 2013.
  27. ^ "Every Generation Media". Archived from the original on 7 June 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  28. ^ "100 Great Black Britons Campaign" Archived 15 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Every Generation Media.
  29. ^ Omar Alleyne Lawler, "Patrick Vernon and One Hundred Great Black Britons", Black History Month 365, 28 September 2016.
  30. ^ "Windrush Day pioneer relaunches Great Black Britons campaign". Brixton Blog. 2 November 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  31. ^ Chandler, Mark (10 June 2019). "Robinson snaps up 100 Great Black Britons book". The Bookseller. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  32. ^ "100 Great Black Britons – The Book". 2020.
  33. ^ a b Patrick Vernon, "Why Windrush Day matters", British Future, 21 June 2013.
  34. ^ Patrick Vernon, "We need a Windrush Day to celebrate the migrant contribution to UK", Brixton Blog, 8 July 2015.
  35. ^ a b "Royal Historical Society Report of council Session 2017 – 2018" (PDF). p. 19. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  36. ^ "Race, Ethnicity & Equality". Royal Historical Society | Working for history and historians. RHS. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  37. ^ "Patrick Vernon". IWM. Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  38. ^ "Race, Ethnicity & Equality in UK History: A Report and Resource for Change" (PDF). October 2018.
  39. ^ "Former Hackney councillor renews call for national Windrush Day", Hackney Citizen, 21 May 2018.
  40. ^ Erenata Kadrolli, "Petition launched to recognise Windrush Day", East London Lines, 25 May 2018.
  41. ^ Patrick Vernon, "The Reader: We should designate a day to celebrate the Windrush’s arrival", Have Your Say, Evening Standard, 29 May 2018.
  42. ^ Nadeem Badshah, "UK makes Windrush Day official with £500k grant to support events", The Guardian, 18 June 2018.
  43. ^ Gelder, Sam (23 April 2020). "Campaigner launches fundraiser to support BAME communities affected by coronavirus". Hampstead Highgate Express.
  44. ^ Afua Hirsch (3 August 2020). "The 20 Remarkable Activists On Vogue's September Cover Are Ready To Change The World". Vogue.
  45. ^ Gentleman, Amelia (22 June 2021). "Plaque for Windrush campaigner unveiled at former office of Enoch Powell". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  46. ^ Vukmirovic, James (22 June 2021). "Paulette Wilson: Windrush campaigner's life honoured with ceremony and plaque". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  47. ^ White, Nadine (22 June 2021). "Paulette Wilson: Late Windrush campaigner, to be honoured with blue plaque". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  48. ^ "Councillor Patrick Vernon OBE", Hackney Council.
  49. ^ "Patrick Vernon OBE appointed as Chair of Labour Party's Race Equality Advisory Group", Race on the Agenda (ROTA), 14 December 2015.
  50. ^ "Black Country flag 'offensive and insensitive' says leading racism campaigner", Express & Star, 13 July 2015.
  51. ^ Peter Henn, "Activist sparks fury after he brands 12-year-old girl's Black Country flag as 'RACIST'", Daily Express, 14 July 2015.
  52. ^ Poppy Brady, "'Slave Flag' Row Historian Gets Invite To Black Country" Archived 1 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine, The Voice, 17 July 2015.
  53. ^ "Eddie Noble: A Charmed Life (2009)", IMDb.
  54. ^ "A Charmed Life (2008)"[dead link‍], BFI, Film Forever.
  55. ^ "About", A Charmed Life website.
  56. ^ Patrick Vernon page at Media Diversified.
  57. ^ "Black History Month 2017 | As Black History Month celebrates its 30th Anniversary", Black History Month 365.
  58. ^ Josh, "Patrick Vernon OBE Appointed Editor-in-Chief of Black History Month Magazine", Black History Month 365, 19 July 2017.
  59. ^ "Revolution 600 Revisited: Imaginary Futures Revolutionary Pasts"[permanent dead link‍], The List.
  60. ^ Josh Rivers (26 January 2019). "Patrick Vernon OBE". Busy Being Black.
  61. ^ Birch, Sarah (27 October 2020). "100 Great Black Britons, Patrick Vernon and Angelina Osborne, book review: 'Inspiring and highly entertaining'". Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  62. ^ "Black Grief and Healing", Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
  63. ^ "Patrick Vernon OBE", Cultural Compounds.
  64. ^ "Clore Fellows", The Clore Leadership Programme.
  65. ^ Sarah Ingrams, "Hackney councillor and health campaigner awarded OBE in Queen’s Birthday Honours List", Hackney Gazette, 19 June 2012.
  66. ^ "Healthwatch England Committee member one of top 50 BME health pioneers", Healthwatch, 7 November 2014.
  67. ^ "The Jamaica Times Awards 2014", June 2014.
  68. ^ "University announces honours list", University of Wolverhampton, 9 August 2018.
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