Jen Reid (born 2 November 1970) is a BritishBlack Lives Matter activist fromBristol. After thestatue of Edward Colston was pushed intoBristol Harbour, Reid stood on the empty plinth and made aBlack Power salute. This pose was then recreated in the sculptureA Surge of Power (Jen Reid) 2020.
On 7 June 2020, at aBlack Lives Matter protest inBristol following themurder of George Floyd, astatue of Edward Colston was toppled and pushed into the nearbyBristol Harbour.[1] Seventeenth-century merchantEdward Colston had become a figure of controversy in Bristol due to his involvement in the slave trade.[2][3] Reid stood upon the now empty plinth and raised her fist in aBlack Power salute. Her husband took a photograph and posted it on Instagram, and it was quickly transmitted worldwide.[4][5] She later toldITV News "It was a spontaneous action".[4]
Frances Lincoln Publishers announced in 2021 that they would be releasing a picture book made by Reid and US author Angela Joy which is based upon the June 2020 events.[6] ABBC Radio 4 series calledDescendants profiled Reid in its first episode in May 2021.[7] A mural featuring a portrait of Reid was painted by London artist Mr Cenz inStokes Croft.[8]
Having seen the photograph of Jen Reid on social media, artistMarc Quinn contacted her and they agreed to make a sculpture of her recreating the raised fist pose to put upon the still empty plinth.[9]Following a3D scan of Reid made at Quinn's London studioA Surge of Power (Jen Reid) 2020 was created in black resin and placed upon the plinth on the morning of 15 July 2020.[9][10] Reid toldBBC News "This sculpture is about making a stand for my mother, for my daughter, for black people like me".[5] The statue was removed the following day by Bristol City Council.
Reid was born on 2 November 1970.[3] She claims that one of her grandmothers was an enslaved African.[7]
Reid launched a fashion brand calledBig Stush in 2022.[11][12] Reid is one of the authors ofA Hero Like Me, an illustrated children's book inspired by the events of 7 June 2020 which was published in 2023.[13]
