For this Black History Month, we'll be sharing bios of 4 influential Black Scots over the next 31 days. To celebrate them and also to recognise that our Scottish culture is built by people across a broad spectrum of race, class and creed.
"Black Lives Matter imagines a world where Black people across the diaspora thrive, experience joy, and are not defined by their struggles. In pursuing liberation, we envision a future fully divested from police, prisons, and all punishment paradigms and which invests in justice, joy and culture." - Our Vision, from blacklivesmatter.com
Jessie Margaret Soga (1870–1954)
Musician, Suffragist
Soga was a Xhosa-Scottish contralto singer, music teacher, and the only recorded Black or mixed-race suffrage campaigner in Scotland. Born in South Africa to Reverend Tiyo Soga, the first Black South African minister, and Scottish missionary Janet Burnside, she moved to Scotland after her father’s death. Active in the women’s suffrage movement, Soga co-founded a major branch of the Women’s Freedom League in Glasgow and later joined the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU).
Though she avoided militant activism, Soga used her musical talents to raise funds and organize events. Her "Cafe Chantant" fundraiser model became a major success, and she performed at key events, including welcoming suffragist prisoners in Glasgow. Soga’s efforts, combining art and activism, left a lasting impact on the Scottish suffrage movement, showcasing the significant role of women of color in the fight for equality.
Ncuti Gatwa (1992-Present)
Actor
Gatwa, born in Rwanda in 1992 and raised in Scotland, is a celebrated actor known for his breakout role as Eric Effiong in the Netflix series Sex Education. His performance earned him widespread acclaim for its nuanced portrayal of a gay Black teenager, including a BAFTA Scotland award for Best Actor in Television and three BAFTA nominations. Gatwa is currently starring as the 15th incarnation of the Doctor on Doctor Who.
Raised in Edinburgh and Dunfermline after his family fled the Rwandan genocide, Gatwa graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. In 2022, he made history as the first Black actor to be cast as the lead role in the iconic British sci-fi series Doctor Who. His casting was hailed as a significant step for diversity and representation in British television.
Gatwa is also known for his openness about mental health, poverty, and LGBTQ+ issues. He uses his platform to champion greater inclusivity and visibility for marginalized communities in the arts and has openly criticized British politicians for demonising trans people and immigrants.
Andrew Watson (1856–1921)
Footballer
Watson stands out as a trailblazer in Scottish football, celebrated as the first black player to don the Scotland jersey at the international level. He played three matches for the national team between 1881 and 1882, making a notable impact as a full-back. Although Arthur Wharton is often recognized as the first black professional footballer, Watson's career began over a decade earlier, with evidence suggesting he was paid professionally while playing for Bootle in 1887.
Born to a wealthy Scottish sugar planter and a British Guianese mother, Watson enjoyed a privileged upbringing and received a strong education, excelling in sports at prestigious schools in England. He later studied natural philosophy, mathematics, and engineering at the University of Glasgow, where his passion for football flourished. Andrew Watson's legacy as a pioneer in the sport highlights his significant contributions to Scottish football and the broader history of black athletes in the UK.
James McCune Smith (1813–1865)
Doctor, Abolitionist
McCune Smith made history as the first African American to earn a medical degree, graduating from the University of Glasgow in 1837. His journey began in New York, where he was born to an enslaved mother. After being liberated by the state’s Emancipation Act, he pursued higher education but faced rejection from American colleges due to his race.
In 1832, he sailed to Scotland to study at Glasgow, where he excelled in subjects like anatomy and medicine. After graduation, he became a Clerk at the Glasgow Lock Hospital, advocating for the welfare of patients and publishing the first known research papers by an African American in a British medical journal. A committed abolitionist, McCune Smith co-founded the Glasgow Emancipation Society, passionately speaking out against racial prejudice. His legacy continued in New York, where he practiced medicine and championed equality until his death in 1865. In 2021, the University of Glasgow honored his contributions by naming the James McCune Smith Learning Hub in his memory.