Black Teacher

Beryl Gilroy (1924 – 2001) was born in British Guiana and trained as a teacher in Georgetown before moving to London in 1952 to attend university. Facing racial discrimination in her early years in Britain, she worked as a maid and clerk before pursuing studies in child development and obtaining a PhD in psychology. Gilroy eventually entered the educational system, becoming the first Black female headteacher in Camden in 1969, while also raising a family. Her published works include the autobiographical novel Black Teacher (1976), poetry, essays, and fiction such as the prize-winning Frangipani House (1986) and In Praise of Love and Children (published 1996, written 1959). She also authored Nippers, a pioneering multicultural series for children. Later in her career, Gilroy served on the UK Race Relations Board and the Institute of Education, and maintained a psychotherapy practice. She is remembered as “one of Britain’s most significant post-war Caribbean migrants.”

Bernardine Evaristo, MBE, is an award-winning author of eight books of fiction that explore the African diaspora. Her novel Girl, Woman, Other garnered widespread acclaim, making her the first Black woman to win the Booker Prize in 2019. The same year, she also received the Fiction Book of the Year Award, Author of the Year, and the Indie Book Award at the British Book Awards. She was also the first woman of colour and Black British writer to reach number one on the UK paperback fiction chart. Evaristo’s writing encompasses reviews, essays, drama, and radio. She has edited and guest-edited publications, including The Sunday Times Style magazine. Appointed an MBE in 2009, she is currently a Professor of Creative Writing at Brunel University, London, and Vice Chair of the Royal Society of Literature. She resides in London with her husband.