Capitein's birthplace is unknown, but he was born on the Gold Coast. He was among the first sub-Saharan Africans to study at a European university. He was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Ghana when he was seven or eight years old. After he arrived in the Netherlands, he gained freedom. He studied theology, was an excellent student, and became the first black minister of the reformed church.

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“...it is clear from his letters that he tried to understand and bring together the multiple cultures that existed in Elmina. He cared about the local community and wanted to understand the perspectives of others…”  -source

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Sancho grew up as a house slave in England. He increased his reading and writing skills while working for the Duke and Duchess of Montagu. He also worked mainly on poetry and music. He had his own store and a lot of customers came to him for advice. Sancho became the first known black person to cast a ballot in Great Britain. Two years later Fox became Britain’s first Foreign Secretary.

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“Whilst Ignatius Sancho spent most of his life in England, his work, letters and exposure to the US creates the general consensus that Sancho is one of many who helped abolish Slavery across the Atlantic.” -source

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Seacole was born in Kingston, Jamaica. In the 19th century, she was a nurse in the British Empire. She was first recognized when she was traveling through the Caribbean. Seacole offered her nursing services to England during the Crimean War. She tried to raise money to be able to travel to India to help injured people in the Indian rebellion.

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“A number of cities and universities have hospital buildings named after her…In 1991 she was awarded the Jamaican Order of Merit and a few years later she was named as one of the 100 Greatest Black Britons.” -source

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Nardal lived in Saint-Pierre, Martinique. She was one of the founders of the Negritude intellectual movement. She was also the first Black student from Martinique at La Sorbonne University. During World War II, she actively participated in the French resistance to German occupation. Paulette Nadal was nominated as a delegate to the United Nations in 1946.

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“Paulette Nardal was an intelligent, dedicated woman who contributed to shaping an important literary and political movement. “ -source

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