Baroness Valerie Amos

Baroness Valerie Amos was the first Black woman cabinet minister, the joint first Black woman peer, and the first Black Leader of the House of Lords — only the third woman in history to lead the upper house of Parliament.

This image captures her at the 50th Anniversary of the arrival of the MV Empire Windrush, an event led by the Windrush Foundation and held on 22 June 1998 at the University of London’s Logan Hall.

Other key participants and speakers at the 1998 anniversary event included:

Sir Bill Morris

Sam King MBE

The Rt Hon Paul Boateng MP

The Rt Hon Sir Peter Bottomley MP

Professor the Baroness Lola Young

Sir Simon Hughes MP

Trevor Phillips OBE

The Rt Hon Baroness Oona King (then Oona King MP)