LGBT+ History Month is here, and at ARU London, we are proud to celebrate the contributions of LGBT+ figures who have made a lasting impact. This year, our campaign highlights five individuals whose stories have shaped history, with specially designed posters to honour their legacies placed around campus for you to find and enjoy.
The figures we are showcasing are:
• Octavia Hill – A social reformer and co-founder of the National Trust, Hill was instrumental in improving housing conditions for the poor in London during the 19th century.
• Ivor Cummings – Known as the “gay father of the Windrush generation,” Cummings was a British civil servant who played a significant role in supporting Caribbean immigrants arriving in the UK post-World War II.
• Annie Kenney – A prominent suffragette and trade unionist, Kenney was a key figure in the women’s suffrage movement, advocating for women’s right to vote in the early 20th century.
• Charlie Kiss – An LGBT+ rights activist and the first transgender man to stand for Parliament in the UK, Kiss has been a vocal advocate for transgender rights and visibility.
• Olaudah Equiano – An 18th-century writer and abolitionist, Equiano was a former enslaved African who gained freedom and became a key figure in the movement to abolish the transatlantic slave trade.
We have found researching their stories to be truly inspiring, and we are excited to share their histories with our community, ensuring their contributions are recognised and celebrated.