Susan Pitter is an outstanding cultural heritage producer, curator, community leader and champion of Black British history whose work has transformed the way the stories of Caribbean communities are recognised, celebrated and preserved.
For more than two decades, she has dedicated her career to ensuring that the experiences, achievements and contributions of Black people become an integral part of Britain’s shared history. Through her vision, leadership and commitment to community engagement, Susan has created lasting cultural projects that continue to educate, inspire and bring people together.
Her career has consistently broken new ground. In 2001, she became the first Black Lady Mayoress of Leeds, a significant moment for representation and civic leadership within the city. In 2014, Leeds City Council recognised her as Corporate Partner of the Year for “making cultural projects happen that simply would not have happened”.
That recognition captures her ability to bring organisations, communities and individuals together behind ambitious ideas. She has also served as a trustee of organisations including Leeds Playhouse and the National Poetry Centre, helping to shape the city’s wider cultural life.
At the heart of Susan’s work is a determination to place Black British narratives where they can be experienced, discussed and celebrated. She has championed the histories of the African and Caribbean diaspora, exploring migration, identity, activism and cultural expression.
Between 2013 and 2017, alongside fellow Out of Many People co-founder Dawn Cameron, Susan secured more than £1 million in funding and sponsorship for the Leeds and wider UK Caribbean carnival sector. This strengthened an important cultural tradition and supported opportunities for artists, performers and communities to celebrate Caribbean heritage.
Among her most significant achievements is Eulogy, which she curated and led for Jamaica Society Leeds in 2019. The exhibition told the stories of the first generation of Jamaicans who settled in Leeds during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s through funeral programmes, family photographs and personal tributes.
By presenting ordinary lives with dignity, warmth and authenticity, Eulogy gave recognition to people whose contributions had too often gone undocumented. Family memories became part of a public history, allowing visitors to encounter the individuals behind a generation’s collective story.
The exhibition became the most visited in the 140-year history of Leeds Central Library. Its success demonstrated the importance of preserving Black British history and the power of personal storytelling to build understanding and connection.
Susan’s influence extended nationally in 2020, when she curated colourised Eulogy images for the Back to Life online gallery. That year, she was named one of eight National Lottery Heritage Champions. Images from her work were projected onto Stonehenge, bringing the stories of Leeds’ Caribbean pioneers to one of Britain’s most recognisable historic landmarks.
Her commitment to uncovering overlooked histories continued through Jamaica Society Leeds’ Out of Many Festival in 2022 and 2023. Susan curated Rebellion to Romance, exploring the lives of second-generation West Indians growing up in Leeds during the 1970s and 1980s, and For King, Country & Home, highlighting the contribution of West Indian RAF servicemen and their families during the Second World War.
These exhibitions broadened public understanding of Britain’s past while creating opportunities to discuss identity, belonging and service.
Susan is also co-founder of Out of Many People, a Leeds-based non-profit organisation promoting Black storytelling through arts, heritage and cultural programmes across the North of England.
In February 2026, the organisation delivered the inaugural Likkle Lit Fest, bringing together authors, illustrators, storytellers and families to celebrate Black literature for children and young adult readers. Its purpose reflects Susan’s continuing commitment to ensuring that Black stories and experiences are visible and valued by the next generation.
What distinguishes Susan is the way she works. She brings together communities, artists, historians, public institutions and funders, building partnerships rooted in authenticity and a belief that communities should be custodians of their own histories.
Her impact reaches far beyond exhibitions and events. She has encouraged people to value their family stories, helped younger generations understand their heritage with pride and challenged cultural institutions to become more inclusive in the histories they preserve.
Susan deserves recognition because she has ensured that lives once overlooked are remembered with care and presented with dignity. Through her work, the experiences of Caribbean families in Leeds have taken their rightful place within Britain’s collective heritage, ready to be discovered and understood by generations to come.