Doreen Lawrence facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon
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Official portrait, 2025
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| Member of the House of Lords | |
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Lord Temporal
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| as a life peer 15 October 2013 |
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| Chancellor of De Montfort University | |
| In office 22 January 2016 – 31 January 2020 |
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| Vice-Chancellor | Dominic Shellard Andy Collop (interim) |
| Preceded by | Waheed Alli |
| Succeeded by | Akram Khan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Doreen Delceita Graham
24 October 1952 Clarendon, Colony of Jamaica |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse |
Neville Lawrence
(m. 1972; div. 1999) |
| Children | 3, including Stephen Lawrence |
| Alma mater | University of Greenwich |
| Occupation | Campaigner |
Doreen Lawrence is a British campaigner from Jamaica. She is famous for her work to get justice for her son, Stephen Lawrence. Stephen was a Black British teenager who was killed in a racist attack in 1993.
After her son's death, Doreen pushed for big changes in the police force. She also started the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust to help young people. For her work, she received a special award called an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003. In 2013, she became a Baroness, which means she is a member of the House of Lords, a part of the UK Parliament.
On the first national Stephen Lawrence Day in 2019, she said she had worked for 26 years for a fair society. She wants a world where everyone can live their best life, no matter their race, gender, or background.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Doreen Lawrence was born in Clarendon, Jamaica, in 1952. When she was nine years old, she moved to the United Kingdom. She grew up in London and later worked at a bank.
In 1972, she married Neville Lawrence. They had three children: Stephen, Stuart, and Georgina. Doreen and Neville divorced in 1999.
The Murder of Stephen Lawrence
On April 22, 1993, Doreen's son Stephen was murdered in an attack that was motivated by racism. After his death, Doreen and Neville Lawrence felt the police were not investigating the crime properly. They believed the police were not taking it seriously because their son was Black.
In 1999, after years of campaigning by the Lawrence family and their supporters, the government launched a major official investigation. This was called the Macpherson Report. The report found that the London Metropolitan Police was "institutionally racist." This meant that the police force's rules and culture were unfair to people from minority ethnic groups.
The report recommended important changes to the law. Because of Doreen's campaign, two of the men who killed Stephen were finally found guilty in 2012.
A Life of Campaigning
After the investigation, Doreen Lawrence continued to fight for justice. She worked to make sure the police service made real changes. She also supports other victims of racist crimes.
Helping the Community
Doreen founded the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust in her son's memory. The charity helps young people from disadvantaged backgrounds achieve their dreams, especially in careers like architecture.
She has also worked with many important groups. She has been on special panels for the government's Home Office and the police. She is also a member of Liberty, a group that protects human rights, and a patron of the charity Stop Hate UK.
In 2020, she was chosen to be a race relations advisor for the Labour Party.
Honours and Recognition
Doreen Lawrence has received many awards for her incredible work.
- 2012 London Olympics: She was one of eight people chosen to carry the Olympic flag during the opening ceremony.
- Pride of Britain Awards: In 2012, she won a Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Woman's Hour Power List: In 2014, BBC Radio 4 named her the most influential woman in Britain.
- House of Lords: In 2013, she was made a life peer, becoming Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon. This is a title for life, and it allows her to help make laws in the House of Lords.
- Honorary Doctorates: Many universities, including the University of Cambridge, have given her special degrees to honour her work.
A famous painting called No Woman No Cry by the artist Chris Ofili is a portrait of Doreen. Inside each of her tears, there is a tiny picture of her son, Stephen. The painting is now in the Tate art gallery in London.
See also
