Valerie Ann Amos, Baroness Amos, created history in the United Kingdom in 2004 when she became the first black female member of the British cabinet and the first Black to become Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council. During 2001-03, she had served as parliamentary undersecretary for foreign and Commonwealth affairs. Previously she had been a Government Whip in the House of Lords and a spokesperson on social security, international development and women’s issues. Born in Guyana on 13 March 1954, she emigrated to the United Kingdom and was educated at Townley Grammar School for Girls before completing a degree in sociology at Warwick University, a master’s degree in cultural studies at Birmingham University and doctoral research at the University of East Anglia. Lady Amos began her career in local government, working in various London boroughs during the 1980s. She was chief executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission from 1989 to 1994 and then director of Amos Bernard during 1995-98. She was chair of the Runnymede Trust, a trustee of the Institute of Public Policy Research, a trustee of Voluntary Services Overseas, and chair of the Alfya Trust. She was also very active in Project Hope, a non-profit organization which promotes healthcare. Her charity works have involved being the chair of the board of governors at the Royal College of Nursing Institute (1994-98) and one of the directors of Hampstead Theatre. She was created a Life Peer in August 1997 as Baroness Amos of Brondesbury in the London Borough of Brent. She has been the recipient of numerous awards, including honorary doctorates from the Universities of Leicester and Warwick and an honorary professorship at Thames Valley University in 1995 in recognition of her work on equality and social justice. She is only the third woman in history to lead the upper house of parliament in the United Kingdom.
AMOS, Baroness
