Celebrating Impact: David Olusaga

There is no doubt about one man who has made a huge impact on storytelling in Britain as he expands the narrative, and understanding, of the Black British experience. Intellectually astute and creatively prodigious, with a clear desire to inform and educate, he is simply in a class of his own on expertise, talent and passion for telling it like it is.

I became aware of him in 2016 after watching one of his insightful documentaries and have been glued to his presentations ever since. I have to confess that, despite my great appreciation of his presentations around the Black experience, which has certainly raised my own knowledge nd awareness tremendously, the series of his that I could watch over and over again is the superbly brilliant A House Through Time. If you have never seen it, you are missing such a treat; a masterful re-enactment of British history through the lives of the generations of a single chosen house for each series. Absolutely riveting!

David Olusoga, a British-Nigerian historian, broadcaster, and film-maker, is Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester. Born in Lagos, to a Nigerian father and a British mother, he moved with them to the United Kingdom when he was five years old. His formative years were spent in Gateshead, where he experienced racism first hand. He was one of very few visible minorities living on a council estate, and suffered much harassment for it. In fact, by the time he was a teenager, "the National Front had attacked his house on more than one occasion". The family required police protection, and were eventually forced to leave the area as a result of the racism.

He later attended Liverpool University, graduating with an honours degree in History in 1994. Soon afterwards, Olusoga worked as a producer for BBC Northern Ireland, and as researcher on a variety of programmes before becoming a television presenter.

Olusoga's work has primarily focused on the history of race and Empire in Britain, having written several books on these topics, including The World's War (2014), Black and British (2016), and Empires at War (2018), which explored the history of conflict between European empires in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, from the perspective of the inhabitants of those regions. The series was a critical and commercial success, winning several awards, including the BAFTA Television Award for Best Factual Series. Other significant documentaries include Forgotten Soldiers of Empire (2014), Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners (2015), and The Nazis: A Warning from History (2017)

Olusoga has also written several books, including Black and British: A History of Blacks in Britain (2016) and The Windrush Betrayal (2022). His books have been praised for their "accessible writing style" and special focus on the experience of Black people in British history. He has won numerous awards for his work and contributions, including being made and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to history and community integration.

A leading figure in the field of public history, and a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in history education, he has criticised the traditional British history curriculum for its 'Eurocentric focus', calling for a more inclusive approach in the teaching of history in schools: one that reflects the diversity of British society.

A respected historian and broadcaster, David Olusaga is a much needed tole model for the country. Sincere and passionate in his approach, and a superb story teller, he has made a significant contribution to the understanding of British history, especially giving a voice to excluded minorities, while challenging the traditional monocultural narrative, and promoting a more inclusive and diverse perspective. My admiration for him is boundless!

Sources: Wikipedia, Storyhouse and Manchester University

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