Northern Ireland

Derry artist's civil rights logo chosen to mark International Museum Day

The simple black and white logo represented the struggle for equality
The simple black and white logo represented the struggle for equality The simple black and white logo represented the struggle for equality

THE original Northern Ireland Civil Rights symbol, created by Derry artist Sheila McClean, has been selected by the Museum of Free Derry to mark International Museum Day.

The Bogside museum has sent the black and white oak leaf symbol to the international Sites of Conscience, which links struggles for civil and human rights across the world.

A former school teacher, Mrs McClean was asked to join the emerging civil rights movement and design the logo after it was criticised over a lack of women in senior positions.

It was used on its literature as well as badges and a flag carried at civil rights marches across the north from 1968.

A spokesman for the Museum of Free Derry said the symbol represented equality, diversity and inclusion.

“McClean’s choice of a black and white logo shows the direct inspiration drawn from the civil rights movement in the United States and the need for equality between unionists and nationalists in Northern Ireland.

“This object is also important because it shows the development of another form of inclusion. Sheila was invited to join the civil rights organising committee and design the logo after a lack of women on the group was publicly highlighted so it also represents the first emergence of gender equality as a civil rights issue."

Mrs McClean, who died in January 2011, was married to Derry GP and leading civil rights rigure Raymond McClean.

Dr McClean, who became the city's first nationalist mayor for half a century in 1973, attended many of the injured and dying on Bloody Sunday and acted as an independent witness at post mortem examinations.