Black women members of the ̽»¨Ö±²¥ of Cambridge have gathered for a photo-shoot to mark 70 years since the first black woman graduated from the ̽»¨Ö±²¥ and 70 years since women were admitted as full members.
Black women members of the ̽»¨Ö±²¥ of Cambridge have gathered for a photo-shoot to mark 70 years since the first black woman graduated from the ̽»¨Ö±²¥ and 70 years since women were admitted as full members.
̽»¨Ö±²¥students, both undergraduate and graduate, posed in front of the Senate House, the administrative centre of the ̽»¨Ö±²¥. ̽»¨Ö±²¥photo was the idea of the ̽»¨Ö±²¥'s African Caribbean Society.ÌýIt came just over a year after a photo of some of the black male students ofÌýCambridge went viral.Ìý
TheÌýwomen were marking the achievements of Gloria Claire Carpenter, a Jamaican, who studied law at Girton College from 1945 to 1948. She later became a prominent social reformer. TimiÌýSotire, who is studying politics and sociology also at Girton, is vice-president of the Cambridge ̽»¨Ö±²¥ African Caribbean Society (Cambridge ). She said:Ìý
"71 years ago, none of us would be here getting degrees and now we have a really strong black female cohort which we want to celebrate and to just let girls who want to apply to Cambridge, and black girls especially, know that there is a place for them here.Ìý
She went on: "Cambridge is fun, really fun, and I've met some amazing black women here and I'm so glad we now have photos celebrating that."
Toni Fola-Alade, President of the Society,Ìýsaid:Ìý"Despite black women noticeably outnumbering black men at the ̽»¨Ö±²¥ of Cambridge, they have historically, by comparison, lacked the visibility and public recognition for the contribution they make to the wider community.
He added: " ̽»¨Ö±²¥idea of the photo-shoot was to highlight just how many black women are here,Ìýand thriving. ̽»¨Ö±²¥fact we were also able to honour a trailblazer, in Gloria Claire Carpenter, makes me immensely proud."
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