By Eugene Smith – The Nubian Jak Academy hosted a seminar on 6th June 2018 at the Black Cultural Archives London to celebrate the achievements of young women of the windrush generation from the 1950’s and 60’s who were trained as nurses to work in the NHS.
The Seminar started with Kesheni Aghaji (Africa & Caribbean Memorial First lady) highlighting 20’ century African & Caribbean Medical breakthroughs. She gave an in-depth look into the contributions that African Caribbean medical practitioners have given to the advancement of medicines.
Such as the American physician Charles Richard Drew who pioneered blood transfusions also developing improved techniques for storing blood, which led to large-scale blood bank storage.
Also Henrietta Lacks an African American woman who died of cervical cancer at age of 31. It was noted that unlike most cells which survive only a few days Lacks cells were far more robust more durable. These cells were isolated and harnessed and became known as the Hela cells which were cloned in 1955 these cells are now the most important cell lines in medical research world wide.
Kesheni spoke of Dr. John Alcindor a Trinidadian born 1873, died 1924 that was refused to help soldiers during world war (WW1) due to his ethnicity. However he did set up his own practice in Paddington and was able to help wounded solders as they returned home from the battlefield.
Also Dr. Harold Moody Born in Jamaica in 1882 came to London 1904 he attended Kings College where he studied medicine. He graduated with distinctions but was refused work in hospitals because of the colour of his skin. Harold Moody managed to set up his own practice in Peckham where he treated the white working class for free.
The Guyanese actress Carmen Munroe was a special guest talking about her sister Daphne Steele who became the first Black Matron NHS.
The seminar ended with three veterans of the NHS talking about their experiences working in the NHS in 1960’s into the new millennium, they have all since retired. Sylvia Mclean (Queens Gold Medal) Edia Rouse (Barbadian High Commission Healyh Presentation) and Mrs Grace Salmon (NHS Nurse and Chair of African & Caribbean Association Bexley Heath).
It was an account of the contribution that African & Caribbean nurses made to the National Health Service which is celebrating its 70th birthday this year.
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