BRENT HEROES

Click through the list below to find out about the achievements of these heroes from the Black community with a connection to Brent.

Marcus Garvey

Marcus Garvey was a prominent pan-African politician, entrepreneur and orator. Pan-Africanism is a movement which promotes solidarity between people of African heritage. In Jamaica he established the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League. In 1935, Garvey moved back to London, where he died in 1940. He was buried in Kensal Green. In 1964, his remains were moved to the National Heroes Park in Kingston, Jamaica. In 1935, Garvey relocated to London, where he died in 1940. He was buried in Kensal Green. In 1964, his remains were moved to the National Heroes Park in Kingston, Jamaica. He was posthumously awarded Jamaica’s Order of National Heroes in 1969. Garvey was an inspiration to Martin Luther King Jr., Kwame Nkrumah, the Nation of Islam, the Rastafari faith, and numerous civil rights movements. Garvey has continued to have an important influence on African and African-Caribbean communities in Brent, many of whom consider him to be a “Pan-African Hero”. His bust is on permanent display at Brent Museum and Archives

Markrush Wilberforce

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Marla Brown

Marla Brown is the youngest child and daughter of the Late, Great Crown Prince of Reggae, Dennis Emanuel Brown with Wife Yvonne Brown. With a history of professionalism through the arts, young Brown is no stranger to performance and entertainment. Having Ballet, Street and Contemporary dance as her foundation, Marla has performed extensively around Europe for over 14 years with her dancing ability. A past Ambassador for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games, a semi finalist in the Hit TV Show Britain’s Got Talent and noted dancer for the sporting Giant Adidas, she is well known in circles around London. Garnering English national championship titles, extensive theatre productions and showcases around Europe, it is believed this young empress is destined for the stage.

Mary Seacole

Mary Jane Seacole was a British-Jamaican nurse and businesswoman who set up the "British Hotel" behind the lines during the Crimean War. She described the hotel as "a mess-table and comfortable quarters for sick and convalescent officers", and provided succour for wounded service men on the battlefield, nursing many of them back to health. Coming from a tradition of Jamaican and West African "doctresses", Seacole displayed "compassion, skills and bravery while nursing soldiers during the Crimean War", through the use of herbal remedies. She was posthumously awarded the Jamaican Order of Merit in 1991. In 2004, she was voted the greatest black Briton in a survey conducted in 2003 by the black heritage website Every Generation. She is buried in St Mary's Catholic Church Cemetary, Kensal Green.

Maureen Cousins

Wife of Dion Cousins

MC Bushkin

MC Bushkin is a talented songwriter and MC originally from North London. Bushkin initially made his mark on the music scene in 2002, during one of the most exciting and memorable era's of UK Garage. His success started as the founder and one third of the popular trio known as The Heartless Crew. Bushkin alongside Fonti and Mighty Moe were signed to BBC 1extra where they hosted a regular weekly radio show and captivated their audience with unique style, mix and blend of positive lyrics, energy and vibes, from UK garage to drum and bass. They continued to captivate their audience and their fan base began to grow. The trio went on to achieve a top 20 hit in the UK charts with their debut single "Heartless theme– Superglue riddim". And their well known album Crisp Biscuit Volume 1 went to number 3 in the UK compilations charts. Heartless Crew's success saw them share the stage with many internationally acclaimed artists and the talented trio toured the UK and beyond introducing UK Garage to the world. The trio's accomplishments also include being nominated for a MOBO and receiving UMA awards for their contribution to music.

Merle Amory

Born in 1958 on St Kitts, in the West Indies, Merle Amory came to Britain at the age of five and settled in London. She joined the Labour Party in 1974. She stood as councillor for the Stonebridge Ward at the age of twenty-three (1981), and later for Queen’s Park. She became the first Black woman council leader in Brent in 1986 and the youngest Labour council leader in London, at the age of 25. As a leader of the London Transport Board for the GLC in 1987-8 she was responsible for the regulation of all transport in London.

Mike Williams - DBC

Rebel Radio, better known as Dread Broadcasting Corporation (DBC), was the very first black owned, black music pirate radio station in Britain. It was founded in 1979 by Lepke, a music fan, and broadcast on medium wave for a few hours at weekends from his house on this road in Neasden. Lepke’s sister Ranking Miss P (longtime BBC Radio 1 DJ) helped to run and presented a show on the station.

The station achieved legendary status broadcasting reggae, R&B, soca, calypso, jazz and African music, which could not be heard elsewhere. Neneh Cherry also worked on the station.

Mr Rev. Norman Watson Mitchell MBE

When Mr Mitchell arrived in Britain he lived in Forest Hill where he shared a home with 15 other Caribbean migrants. After 2 years he elected to move to Harlesden, Brent where his wife and 3 children came to join him. Mr Mitchell chose to live in Brent as he described the people as ‘social’ which reminded him of Jamaica. In 1980 Mr Mitchell established the West Indian Senior Citizens Organisation, to provide support, care and social activities for older members of the Caribbean community In 2014 he received an MBE as recognition for community work and service.

Mrs Lena Clarke

Lera was born in Manchester, Jamaica, on September 22 1928 when it was still a British colony and came to Sheffield, UK, in 1960 as part of the Windrush generation. After finishing school, she moved to Portland, Jamaica, where she lived with her extended family and had three children.After moving to London, Lera worked as an auxiliary nurse in Hammersmith and soon settled in Brent. There she founded the Caribbean Cultural Organisation which provided a stepping stone for children and their families within the black community.The charitable organisation was a space where people could meet, socialise, educate and interact with each other. Lera was heavily involved in the Notting Hill Carnival where she always had a float with young people and was nominated to receive an OBE from the Queen.

MyKaell Riley

Mykaell's career started as a founder member of the British roots Reggae band Steel Pulse who would go onto receive a Grammy. Over the years he has performed, produced, managed and consulted on many successful artists and their projects. As a professional writer/producer, Mykaell's work has encompassed TV, Film and Theatre, resulting in over eleven UK top twenty positions, and three UK number ones. He also formed The Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra, Britain's first black pop orchestra - and composed extensively for television including the BBC 1&2, ITV1, 2,3, SKY and Endemol TV. He was then invited to join the first popular music, industry-focused course at the University of the Westminster.