Witness: Black History Collection

In 1987, an unknown 18 year-old Somalian model called Waris Dirie, walked into the studio of renowned British photographer Terence Donovan.She had never had her picture taken before but after striking her first pose it was clear belonged in front of the lens. Although she says modelling was “easy-peasy” it was not an obvious career path for Waris. She was born in the Somalian desert to a nomadic family. When she was young she was forced to undergo female genital mutilation after which her family arranged a marriage for her.Waris tells Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty how she walked barefoot across the Somalian desert to escape child marriage and how she became an international supermodel sensation.Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, incl