Celebrating Ignatius Sancho

To honor the start of the UK’s Black History Month, today’s Doodle, illustrated by UK-based guest artist Kingsley Nebechi, celebrates British writer, composer, business owner, and abolitionist Ignatius Sancho. A former slave who advocated for abolition through prolific letter-writing, Sancho became the first person of African descent to cast a vote in a British general election. 

Born in Africa around 1729, Ignatius Sancho was enslaved for the first five years of his life on the Caribbean island of Grenada before he was taken to England as a toddler. There, he was forced to serve as a slave for three sisters in Greenwich but eventually managed to run away and escape. He then gained employment with another aristocratic family for whom he worked for the next two decades. Having taught himself to read and write, Sancho utilized his employers' extensive library to further his self-education.

A skilled writer, Sancho penned a large volume of letters, many of which contained criticism of 18th-century politics and society. Newspapers published his eloquent calls for the abolition of slavery, which provided many readers their first exposure to writing by a Black person. The multi-talented Sancho also published four collections of music compositions and opened a grocery store with his wife in Westminster. As a financially independent male homeowner, he was qualified to vote—a right he historically exercised in 1774.

Sancho’s extensive collection of letters was published posthumously in 1782, garnering huge readership and widespread attention to the abolitionist cause. 

Thank you, Ignatius Sancho, for your courageous fight in the name of freedom and equality. 

Guest Artist Q&A with Kingsley Nebechi

Today’s Doodle was illustrated by UK-based guest artist Kingsley Nebechi. Below, he shares his thoughts behind the making of this Doodle:

Q: Why was this topic meaningful to you personally? 

A: The topic was a great chance to explore a really crucial part of Black history. Creating the Doodle inspired me to explore various artistic elements from historic times, which is one of my favorite things to do during the creative process.

Q: What were your first thoughts when you were approached about the project?

A: It was an exciting moment! Being able to create art brings me joy but being able to create art and also inspire others in the process is priceless.

Q: Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle?

A: It was incredibly interesting to research the art, typography, and images relating to the time Ignatius wrote his letters. I found myself looking at a lot of his photos and paintings too. I wanted my artwork to pay homage to his contributions and become a tool to re-introduce his great work to a new generation.

Q: What do you hope people take away from your Doodle?

A: I hope the Doodle can spark curiosity in people so they can research Ignatius and other essential Black figures in history. It’s hard to know where you are headed if you don’t know where you’re from.

Early concepts of the Doodle below