Black History Month is an occasion to recognize and celebrate the invaluable contributions of Black people to British society.
The theme for Black History Month 2023 is ‘Saluting our Sisters’. It highlights the crucial role Black women have played in shaping history, inspiring change and building communities.
To mark this, we are recognizing Black women members of the House of Lords by showcasing the achievements and contributions of four current members.
Baroness Amos
Baroness Amos is a figurehead of leadership and governance. She has led a government department, the UK Parliament’s second chamber, a United Nations department and a world-renowned university. Her leadership roles have broken new ground in UK politics and academia, and on the international stage.
First Black woman member
She is the first Black woman member of the House of Lords, appointed on 27 September 1997, and the first Black woman in the Cabinet when she was made International Development Secretary in 2003.
Baroness Benjamin
As a member of the Lords she has campaigned for better protections for children’s safety online, making significant contributions to the Online Safety Bill and pressing the government on the issue in questions and debates.
Baroness Moyo of Knightsbridge
Baroness Moyo is a pre-eminent economist renowned for her analysis of developing economies and public policy.
She has worked for some of the world’s biggest banks and businesses and written books on macroeconomics and proposing a new approach to financial development for African countries.
True to her expertise in economics, Baroness Moyo chose the debate on the Spring Budget in March 2023 to make her debut in the House of Lords.
Baroness Young of Hornsey
She uses her voice in the House of Lords to speak out on many issues, in particular against injustices facing the victims of modern slavery in supply chains.
Baroness Young has spoken in the wake of disasters in the clothing industry, such as the Rana Plaza collapse, and called for greater transparency and safety in fashion industry supply chains. She made significant contributions to the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and put forward her own private member’s bill to require commercial organizations and public bodies to include a statement on slavery and human trafficking in their annual report and accounts.