Talk will put Black British history in the spotlight Published on: 3 October 2017 Leading historian David Olusoga will be coming to Â鶹´«Ã½ later this week to talk about black history in the UK. A forgotten history His talk takes place on Thursday 5 October and coincides with Black History Month, which runs throughout October. The theme of David’s talk will be Black and British: A Forgotten History, and will cover areas similar to those featured in David’s 2016 landmark BBC history series and book of the same name. These set out to challenge the idea that black history is only of interest to black people. In bringing little-known stories to the public, David proposes that Black history from as far back as the Roman period should be considered as an integral part of mainstream British history. His other BBC series, Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners, won a BAFTA last year and he is currently writing a new history of slavery, 5000 Years a Slave, as well as White Slavery & the Black War, a new history of the British colonisation of Tasmania. The Nigerian-born historian, grew up in Â鶹´«Ã½ in the 1980s, and current Â鶹´«Ã½ Central MP Chi Onwurah will introduce David’s talk. David’s parents met while studying at Â鶹´«Ã½ in the 1960s, and his talk takes place during , the city-wide programme that commemorates the 50th anniversary of Â鶹´«Ã½ awarding an honorary degree to Dr Martin Luther King in 1967. David Olusoga said: “I'm looking forward to being in my home town – particularly at a time when the anniversary of Dr King’s visit is being remembered. “Black people are the missing piece of British history; we need to develop a different way of remembering our past if we are to bring about the equality that Dr King and others fought for.” The talk is being presented by Â鶹´«Ã½’s , and is the latest in the visiting speaker series that the school organises each year. Dr Hannah Durkin said: It’s a huge privilege to welcome David Olusoga to Â鶹´«Ã½ as part of the School’s visiting speakers series. We try to get some of the best experts in their field to take part in our series and are especially excited to get David. He’s done such important work to highlight the centuries-long Black presence in Britain and has been an inspiration to me and many of my colleagues." Black and British: A Forgotten History takes place 5.00pm – 6.30pm in lecture theatre 3, Herschel Building, Â鶹´«Ã½. The event is free and open to all but seating will be on a first come first served basis. David Olusoga Share: Latest News Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. published on: 15 June 2026 Funding system risks limiting genuine community collaboration A new policy paper written by researchers at Â鶹´«Ã½ warns that the way UK research is funded may be undermining efforts to create genuinely collaborative partnerships with communities. published on: 15 June 2026 Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from Â鶹´«Ã½ to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Facts and figures
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