The 100 Great Black Britons list was compiled as a response to the BBC's 100 Greatest Britons debate of (November 2002).
Patrick Vernon, founder of black heritage website Every Generation, pointed out that no black people had made it to the top 100, saying that this was due in part to many people being unaware of the achievements and contributions of black people over the centuries.
While some in the Black community saw the project as providing useful role-models, the value of the project was challenged by others, including those nominated for the survey.
The inclusion of some individuals in this list is disputed, as there are contradictory claims as to whether they were black or not not only because of the difficulties in defining what a black person is or is not, but also because some genealogical claims are strongly denied or lack sufficient sources.
The list, despite its title, contains more than 100 people.
Read more about 100 Great Black Britons: Complete List
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