We are extremely saddened to announce the death of our long-standing Trustee and co-founder of the George Padmore Institute, Dr Aggrey Burke.
Born in Jamaica in 1943, Aggrey was a pioneering psychiatrist both in the UK and the Caribbean. He was the NHS’s first black consultant and spent his career working in the field of transcultural psychiatry, examining the role of racial discrimination in psychiatric disorders and issues of access to mental health services for people from diverse communities. In 1981, following the New Cross fire, which was believed to be racially motivated arson and killed 13 young black people, Aggrey together with other black professionals, set up a support group providing vital counselling for the bereaved families. In 1984, he edited the 30th anniversary issue of the International Journal of Social Psychiatry which was dedicated to the theme of ‘Racism and Mental Illness’. In 1986, he co-authored a ground-breaking paper exposing the ‘colour bar’ which then existed in London medical schools, titled ‘Racial and Sexual Discrimination in the Selection of Students for London Medical Schools’. He was also president of the African and Caribbean Medical Society where he was particularly concerned with helping black students pursue careers in medicine.
After his retirement, Aggrey was involved in numerous causes related to wider issues facing diverse communities.
We would like to express our condolences to Aggrey’s family, friends and colleagues, and our thanks for his many years of service to the GPI and commitment to the fight for justice and equality.
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