Baroness Doreen Lawrence delivers inspirational 2021 Alice Bacon Lecture
Anti-racism campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence OBE was this year’s Alice Bacon Lecture guest speaker.
Baroness Lawrence gave a moving account of her own personal journey, from her beginnings in Jamaica to the struggles she has faced and overcome. Baroness Lawrence made mention of the poem Still I Rise by Maya Angelou, the themes of which resonate with her life.
Baroness Lawrence also responded to questions from the audience, gave advice about fighting injustice and inequality and encouraged the audience to effect change and have self-belief.
This was the third Alice Bacon Lecture, a public lecture series set up in collaboration with Rachel Reeves MP, the biographer of Alice Bacon. The annual Alice Bacon Lecture, which celebrates the achievements of pioneering women, is named for the Labour MP – Yorkshire’s first female Member of Parliament – who led a crusade to improve the education of working class children. Previous Alice Bacon Lectures were delivered by Harriet Harman MP, the House of Commons’ longest continuously serving female MP, and Baroness Hale of Richmond, the first female President of the Supreme Court.
Due to current circumstances, this year’s lecture was delivered online.
