The Statue for Mary: The Seacole Legacy

This commemorative book tells the story of a 12-year community fundraising campaign to achieve the first statue of a named black woman in the UK. Sculptor Martin Jennings' stunning work was unveiled in June 2016 in the grounds of London's St Thomas' Hospital on the Southbank and is already a popular tourist landmark. The book tells 19th century Crimean War nurse Mary Seacole's amazing story as well as documenting the equally dramatic story of the statue, from fundraising, the artists' vision, the making of the statue and the unveiling. It is told in the words of the people most involved in bringing about this important moment in the UK's history.