16 Facts About Connie Mark

Connie Mark served as a medical secretary in the Auxiliary Territorial Service in World War II.

Connie Mark worked to gain recognition for Black service personnel who were overlooked for their services and co-founded the Mary Seacole Memorial Association to bring recognition to the accomplishments of the noted Jamaican nurse.

Connie Mark was of mixed ethnicity, her background including a paternal grandmother from Jamaica and grandfather from Scotland, as well as a maternal grandmother of Lebanese heritage and a paternal grandfather who had been an indentured labourer from Calcutta, India.

Connie Mark was raised in Kingston and attended Wolmer's Girls' School.

Connie Mark worked in the British Military Hospital of Kingston, as a medical secretary, typing reports of battle injuries.

Connie Mark believed the denial was because she had refused to clean British officer personnel's private quarters.

Connie Mark became involved in charitable works, community service and educational projects.

Connie Mark joined the West Indian ex-Servicemen's Association and pressed for them to add women to the title of the organisation, continuing her fight for the recognition of women's contributions to the war effort.

In 1980, Connie Mark founded an organisation called the Friends of Mary Seacole, which was later renamed the Mary Seacole Memorial Association.

In 1989, when preparations were being made to celebrate the contribution of servicemen and women on the fiftieth anniversary of the war's outbreak, Connie Mark began lobbying for the inclusion of West Indians and women.

Connie Mark applied for a grant from the Greater London Arts Council and put together an exhibition of photographs that she was able to collect from service personnel and the archives of the Imperial War Museum for the anniversary celebration.

In 1992, Connie Mark finally received her British Empire Medal for her meritorious service during the war.

Connie Mark continued her activism, participating annually in the Remembrance Day parade until her health no longer allowed her to do so.

Connie Mark was well-known and respected for her poetry and participation in storytelling events to champion Caribbean culture.

Connie Mark died on 3 June 2007 at Charing Cross Hospital, following a stroke, and her funeral service was held on 22 June at St Luke's Church in West London.

Connie Mark was named by the Evening Standard on a list of 14 "Inspirational black British women throughout history".