Today, a #BlackLivesMatter THREAD of black women in Scotland. 1st is a statue (to a nameless woman but the UK's 1st) Victory is Certain by Ann Davidson (let's hope) It was unveiled by Suganya Chetty, a member of the African National Congress, who lived in Edinburgh in the 80s. /1

There have been black women in Scotland since the early modern at least. 'Blak' Margaret and 'Blak' Elene were maidservants at Linlithgow Castle recorded from 1510-12. They had been captured off a Portuguese ship. We know what that means, right? Eugh. /2

While we're on kidnap: Victorian missionaries went to Africa & brought black kids back to Scotland to use in fundraising events. WHAT? All my 21st century sensibiltities are tingling right now but we need to own this stuff. As far as I'm aware the kids were taken home again. /3

On the plus side women from various African countries were educated in Scotland (voluntarily!) Kesavaloo Naidoo founded S Africa's Resistance Campaign in 1946. She served 17 jail terms. Educated at Uni of Edinburgh. Returned to S Africa to vote in the 1st democratic elections /4

Malvina Wells is buried in Edinburgh - a freed slave from Grenada who became a servant to the Macrae/MacLean family who had owned her. She is in the graveyard at St John's Princes St - I go there sometimes to remember her. /5

Dorothy Thomas was a RICH black woman who came to Scotland (Actually she owned slaves) She wanted to educate her grandkids here & caused a stir in 1812 when she arrived in Glasgow & London. An entrepeneur, she bailed out her white sons in law whose businesses got in trouble. /6

Annetta Watson was the illegitimate daughter of Peter Wilson (a slaveowner - blee) Born in Guyana she inherited £6k when her dad died and lived in Innerleithen. She married an unscrupulous horror & ended up earning her living teaching music in Glasgow ./7

Another black Scottish heiress, Margaret McGuffie, lived in Wigtown. Her house was called Barbados Villa and her story is told in The House that Sugar Built by Donna Brewster. Her Dad was the provost of Wigtown. These stories are bound up with Scotland's white, male slavers. /8

Some families brought black slaves to Scotland & some black women inherited from their Scottish white fathers. Harriet Balfour & Petronella Hendrick are 2 of the (not v many) names we know. If you're interested in finding out more I recommend this blog: http://www.spanglefish.com/slavesandhighlanders/

Also I wrote a book which contains these stories & more... in it I imagine monuments to the resilience & achievements of Scotland's women. Interested?Walk this way https://shop.historicenvironment.scot/where-are-the-women But today, straight up, if it's a choice for you I'd rather you donated to black causes./10