Black Welsh people facts for kids

Dame Shirley Bassey, a famous singer

Black Welsh people are individuals living in Wales who have family roots in Africa or the Caribbean. Wales is home to one of the United Kingdom's oldest black communities. For example, Tiger Bay in Cardiff has been home to many Somali people since the 1800s. This was when the port became a busy place for ships and trade.

In 2011, a count of the population showed that over 18,000 Welsh-African people lived in Wales. This was about 0.6% of everyone in Wales. The first black person known to live in North Wales was John Ystumllyn. He was a gardener in Gwynedd and lived in the 1700s.

Famous Black Welsh People

Many Black Welsh people have achieved great things in different fields. Here are some of them.

Sports Stars

Wales has produced many talented Black Welsh athletes. They have excelled in various sports, from football to rugby.

Football Players

These athletes have played for top teams and represented Wales on the international stage.

• Ethan Ampadu
• Nathan Blake
• Ben Cabango
• Robert Earnshaw
• Danny Gabbidon
• Ryan Giggs
• Adam Henley
• Brennan Johnson
• Joel Lynch
• Rabbi Matondo
• Eddie Parris
• Jazz Richards
• Tyler Roberts
• Hal Robson-Kanu
• Sanchez Watt
• Sorba Thomas
• Ashley Williams

Athletics Champions

These sprinters and track athletes have won medals and set records.

• Jamie Baulch, a sprint athlete
• Colin Jackson
• Christian Malcolm, a track and field athlete
• Nigel Walker, a former track and field athlete and rugby player

Rugby League Heroes

These players have shown incredible skill in rugby league.

• Billy Boston, who played for Great Britain
• Regan Grace
• Clive Sullivan, the first black athlete to captain Great Britain in any sport

Rugby Union Legends

Colin Charvis was the first Black Welsh person to captain the Wales rugby team

These players have made a big impact in rugby union. Some have even captained the Welsh national team.

• Aled Brew
• Nathan Brew
• Leon Brown
• Mark Brown, the first known player of black origin to represent Wales in 1983
• Colin Charvis, the first black captain of the Wales national rugby union team
• Jason Forster
• Ashton Hewitt, known for speaking out against unfair treatment
• Martyn Madden
• Richard Parks, a former rugby player who became an extreme endurance athlete
• Anthony Sullivan
• Ben Thomas
• Gavin Thomas
• Christ Tshiunza, the first African-born black player to represent Wales in 2021
• Eli Walker
• Nigel Walker
• Glen Webbe, often seen as Wales' "first black icon" in rugby

Boxing Stars

• Steve Robinson

Music Artists

These talented individuals have shared their voices and music with the world.

• Dame Shirley Bassey, a world-famous singer
• Kizzy Crawford, a singer-songwriter and producer
• Eädyth, a producer and singer-songwriter
• Patti Flynn, a jazz singer and founder of Black History Wales
• Benji Webbe, musician and frontman of the band Skindred

Film and Television Personalities

These actors, directors, and presenters have brought stories to life on screen.

• Josie d'Arby, a TV presenter
• Rakie Ayola, an actress
• Rungano Nyoni, a film director and screenwriter
• Suzanne Packer, an actress
• Jessica Sula, an actress
• Tayce, a contestant from RuPaul's Drag Race UK
• Darragh Mortell, an actor

Other Notable People

These individuals have made important contributions in various fields.

• Betty Campbell, a respected headteacher
• Abdulrahim Abby Farah, a diplomat who worked for his country
• Vaughan Gething, a government minister in Wales
• Uzo Iwobi, an expert in equality and fairness