Kofoworola Ademola was the first black African woman to achieve a degree at Oxford.
She arrived at Oxford University in 1932 to study English at St Hugh’s College, and a mission to pursue a career in the teaching profession.
She is also known for writing a candid first-hand account about her experiences in Britain, which appeared in colonial expert Margery Perham’s 1936 edited collection, Ten Africans.
After her goal of becoming an English graduate was accomplished at St Hugh’s College, she went on went on to become an important figure in the education sector and women’s organisations, such as the Red Cross.
She was eventually awarded the prestigious Membership Of The Order Of The British Empire, OBE.
She navigated a male-dominated world to maintain and promote her identity, and fundamentally her passion for empowering and enriching the lives of girls and young women through education.
Source: Oxford University archives
