The Bronze Woman is many things – she is the first public monument of a black woman in England, a symbol of the contribution of Caribbean, and indeed all, women to society and proof that people who dare to pursue their dreams can inspire others to outstanding achievements.

The Bronze Woman Monument was revealed in South London’s Stockwell Memorial Garden on October 8, 2008. The statue was unveiled by a “circle” of women of Caribbean origin including Doreen Lawrence, artist Anissa-Jane, Baroness Rosalind Howells OBE and Music of Black Origin (MOBO) Awards founder Kanya King.

The Bronze Woman sculpture of an African-Caribbean woman holding aloft a child was created to celebrate the contribution of the Afro-Caribbean community to the Capital, on the 200th anniversary of the end of the transatlantic slave trade in 2008.

The monument is based on a poem written by Cécile Nobrega. Cécile was born in Georgetown Guyana on 1st June 1919 and came to London in 1968. Cécile was an accomplished classical composer, poet, sculptor and educator. As an active trade unionist in the National Union of Teachers (NUT) she campaigned against placing children, usually from racialised communities in Educationally Subnormal Schools (ESN).