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This outspoken orator and politician was born on September 21, 1953 London, Great Britain. Diane Abbott was the first black woman to be elected a member of the British Parliament. Born as the only child into the neighborhood of Paddington to a working class family in London. Diane at an early age learned how to not let being the only bother her. So it was no problem for her when she was the only black child in her all girls high school. Nevertheless she still got the stares and whispers from classmates about her color. She was even told by a teacher once that she was in a school that was far above her social status and did not suit her. Despite all of the negativity, Abbott graduated at the top of her class, She then applied to and was accepted at Cambrige University, one of the most prestigious colleges in Europe. During her time at Cambridge, Abbott became more engrossed in social issues and political action. So after graduating she got a job as the first black staff member at the NCCL(National Council of Civil Liberties). Feeling that she was piegon-holed in her postion at the NCCL, she left and ran for city council. Abbott was finally elected to a seat in 1982 as part of the Labour Party. Having served the party for four years and Abbott felt the need to fight domestic, racial, and economic issues on the a higher level and ran for a parliament seat. Though she lost her first try, she didn't give up and in was unanimously voted in three years later. She spent the next couple of years there fighting for the rights of single mothers, working-class families, forgotten minority communities. |
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