Jen Reid
Jen Reid(born 2 November 1970) is a BritishBlack Lives Matteractivist fromBristol.After thestatue of Edward Colstonwas pushed intoBristol Harbour,Reid stood on the empty plinth and made aBlack Power salute.This pose was then recreated in the sculptureA Surge of Power (Jen Reid) 2020.
7 June 2020
[edit]On 7 June 2020, at aBlack Lives Matterprotest inBristolfollowing themurder of George Floyd,astatue of Edward Colstonwas toppled and pushed into the nearbyBristol Harbour.[1]Seventeenth-century merchantEdward Colstonhad become a figure of controversy in Bristol due to his involvement in the slave trade.[2][3]Reid stood upon the now empty plinth and raised her fist in aBlack Power salute.Her husband took a photograph and posted it on Instagram, and it was quickly transmitted worldwide.[4][5]She later toldITV News"It was a spontaneous action".[4]
Frances Lincoln Publishersannounced in 2021 that they would be releasing a picture book made by Reid and US author Angela Joy which is based upon the June 2020 events.[6]ABBC Radio 4series calledDescendantsprofiled Reid in its first episode in May 2021.[7]A mural featuring a portrait of Reid was painted by London artist Mr Cenz inStokes Croft.[8]
A Surge of Power (Jen Reid) 2020
[edit]Having seen the photograph of Jen Reid on social media, artistMarc Quinncontacted her and they agreed to make a sculpture of her recreating the raised fist pose to put upon the still empty plinth.[9] Following a3D scanof Reid made at Quinn's London studioA Surge of Power (Jen Reid) 2020was created in black resin and placed upon the plinth on the morning of 15 July 2020.[9][10]Reid toldBBC News"This sculpture is about making a stand for my mother, for my daughter, for black people like me".[5]The statue was removed the following day by Bristol City Council.
Personal and professional life
[edit]Reid was born on 2 November 1970.[3]She claims that one of her grandmothers was an enslaved African.[7]
Reid launched a fashion brand calledBig Stushin 2022.[11][12]Reid is one of the authors ofA Hero Like Me,an illustrated children's book inspired by the events of 7 June 2020 which was published in 2023.[13]
References
[edit]- ^Block, India (16 July 2020)."Marc Quinn replaces statue of slaver Edward Colston with Black Lives Matter protester".Dezeen.Retrieved9 June2021.
- ^"Colston Hall music venue renamed Bristol Beacon".BBC News.23 September 2020.Retrieved9 June2021.
- ^abMukena, Rema (10 November 2020)."'No regrets' – the Black woman whose statue replaced Colston's ".Bristol Live.Retrieved9 June2021.
- ^ab"'My life has changed' – Jen Reid a year on from Colston toppling ".ITV News.7 June 2021.Retrieved9 June2021.
- ^ab"Jen Reid: Black Lives Matter statue to go from Colston plinth".BBC News.15 July 2020.Retrieved9 June2021.
- ^Bayley, Sian (7 June 2021)."Frances Lincoln signs picture book from Colston statue activist Reid".The Bookseller.Retrieved9 June2021.
- ^ab"Bristol Black Lives Matter protester Jen Reid stars in Radio 4 series".BBC News.17 May 2021.Retrieved9 June2021.
- ^"Jen Reid: Mural of Black Lives Matter Bristol protester".BBC News.1 April 2021.Retrieved12 June2021.
- ^abEmelife, Aindrea (15 July 2020)."'Hope flows through her': artist Marc Quinn on replacing Colston with a Black Lives Matter statue ".The Guardian.Retrieved9 June2021.
- ^"Jen Reid: 'I felt a surge of power. Colston is gone. Now there's a new girl in town'".the Guardian.6 December 2020.Retrieved9 June2021.
- ^Streeting, Louisa (24 November 2022)."Jen Reid on Colston two years on and her new fashion brand".BristolLive.Retrieved5 July2023.
- ^"BIG STUSH LTD people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK".find-and-update pany-information.service.gov.uk.Retrieved5 July2023.
- ^Reid, Jen; Joy, Angela (6 June 2023).A Hero Like Me.Frances Lincoln Children's Books.ISBN978-0-7112-7041-1.
