Dr Deborah Gabriel, founder of the Black Academics Network and co-convenor of the BU Race Charter, gave talk as part of the Bournemouth University Women's Academic Network/ CEL International Women's Day event. She invited her students to the session, and contributed a talk on about ‘uncelebrated’ women of colour.

1. Uncelebrated
Women:
Black
Grandmothe
rs
Dr Deborah Gabriel
International Women’s Day 2019

2. UNCELEBRATED WOMEN
It is right that we celebrate Black
grandmothers on International
Women’s Day, as not only are
they a link to the past – studies
have shown that their presence
when children are growing up,
contribute to the health and
survival of future generations.
Wilhelmina Harriott 1902-2005

3. GAMBIA
A study by University College in London
published in the Royal Society Journal in
2000 revealed that in Gambia, maternal
grandmothers improve not only the
nutritional status but also the survival of
children.
The presence of grandmothers during the
second year of a child’s life significantly
increased the chance of survival.
Grandchildren also benefitted from
greater fitness levels from the presence of
their grandmothers.

4. SENEGAL
A similar study carried out in Senegal
published in the Social Science and
Medicine journal in 2004, also found that
grandmothers play an influential role in the
household and on child health matters.
Their findings revealed that grandmothers
helped with the supervision and care of
children, mediated in situations of conflict
and provided health and nutritional advice
to pregnant women before and after
delivery.
The Grandmother Project

5. SENEGAL – GRANDMOTHER PROJECT
Velingara, Senegal, The Grandmother Project
is centred on grandmothers as agents of
change, bringing them to the centre stage as
arbiters, and champions of adolescent girls.
Grandmothers are trained and empowered to
be the central figure in each village as the
catalyst for changing thinking and customs at
the village level. Grandmothers they have
respect in their villages, with both the village
elders and with the younger women and
children. They are the vessels that carry the
traditional songs, dances and stories of the
village, and they offer wisdom to the young
women who are marrying or having children.
“A home without a grandmother is like a house
without a roof.”

6. BRITAIN:
WINDRUSH
GRANDMOTHERS
This photo typifies
the experience of
Windrush
grandmothers ,
many of whom
took on caring
roles, looking after
the elderly or
working as nurses Sherwood Lodge, South London

7. • “My grandmother taught me to be persistent
and to always do my best. Love and miss
her.” Peter Harriott
• “I only knew my maternal grandmother
Katherine Ojo for three years when she died
aged 73. I was a mixed up teenager, I needed
someone to listen to me and assure me and she
did that. She also helped me build my battered
self-esteem.” Franca Harrison
• “My Grandmother is probably the most
important person in my life. It is in her presence
that I feel the most unconditional love. She is
currently 95 and still going strong. I pray she too
will live to see her 100. Very special people are
grandmothers.” Evadney Campbell
• "My grandmother meant the world to
me when she was alive. The epitome of
respect, longevity (she was 95 when she
passed away) and a woman who was
respected for being honest and
upfront." Bernard Pettis
• "Grandmothers represent strength,
stability, reassurance, powerful links with
history and the past. One of my
grandmothers lived to 108 and one was
descended from Welsh, Jewish and
African ancestors (so my late father told
me)." Ionie Benjamin
REFLECTIONS ON BLACK GRANDMOTHERS