Portraits of Black Female Professors

Portraits of black women professors are being exhibited to honour their presence and achievements working in British academia.

The exhibition, Phenomenal Women: Portraits of UK Black Female Professors, features portraits of 40 professors across a broad range of subjects including law, medicine, creative writing and sociology.

Bernardine Evaristo is Professor of Creative Writing at Brunel University London. In 2019, she became the first black woman to win the Booker Prize, receiving the award jointly with Margaret Atwood.

Taken by the photographer Bill Knight, the portraits have been researched and curated by Dr Nicola Rollock, reader in equity and education at Goldsmiths, University of London. She has been examining the career experiences and strategies of black female professors at UK higher education establishments over the past three years.

The exhibition aims to highlight the presence and excellence of all the women included, and provide a platform for debate about what it takes to reach this highest level of academic scholarship.

Cynthia Pine is Professor of Dental Public Health at Barts and The London Medical and Dental Schools, Queen Mary University of London. Professor Pine was the first woman to be appointed Dean of a UK Dental School, and in 2006 she received the CBE for services to dentistry.

Joan Anim-Addo is Professor of Caribbean Literature and Culture and Director, Centre for Caribbean and Diaspora Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London. She is a poet and a defining feature of her writing has been a determination to give a voice to black women, whose experiences and cultural contributions have traditionally not been well documented.

Patricia Daley is Professor of the Human Geography of Africa and Director of Undergraduate Studies at the University of Oxford. She was co-founder of the Oxford University Black and Minority Ethnic Staff network and sits on the University's Academic Conduct Panel. She has published several articles in renowned journals, authored two books and co-edits the journal Politics and Space.

Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent is the Chief Midwifery Officer, NHS England. She is visiting Professor of Midwifery at Kings College London and London South Bank University. She received an OBE for her work in 2017.

Funmi Olonisakin is Vice-President and Vice-Principal International and Professor of Security, Leadership and Development at King's College London. She founded the African Leadership Centre, which aims to build the next generation of African peace, security and development scholars. Previously she worked in the Office of the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict.

Ijeoma F. Uchegbu is Professor of Pharmaceutical Nanoscience and Pro-Vice Provost for Africa and The Middle East at University College, London. Professor Uchegbu works in the pharmaceutical sciences, creating new medicines using nanotechnology.

Sonia Boyce is Professor of Black Art & Design at the University of the Arts London. She is a member of the Royal Academy and in 2019, she was awarded an OBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours List, for her services to art. Professor Boyce will be the first black woman selected to represent Britain at the Venice Biennale, in 2021.

Laura Serrant is Head of Nursing and Professor of Community and Public Health Nursing at Manchester Metropolitan University. She has extensive experience in national and international health policy development, particularly in racial and ethnic inequalities and cultural safety. It was her work in this area which led to her being awarded an OBE in 2018.

Gloria Agyemang is Head of School of Management at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her research interests include NGO Accountability, and the management of public sector organisations and educational institutions.

Iyiola Solanke holds the Chair in EU Law and Social Justice at the School of Law, University of Leeds. She is also an Academic Bencher with Inner Temple. She founded the Black Female Professors Forum in 2017 to highlight the lack of black women in academia, and to focus minds on addressing this issue.

The portraits will be on display from March 18 until the end of the month, at London's City Hall.

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