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Laurence Westgaph

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Laurence Westgaph (born 28 February 1975), is a political activist and television presenter, specialising in Black British history and slavery.[1]

Early years and education

Westgaph was born in Liverpool in 1975 to a mother of Nigerian descent and a Jamaican father. He grew up in the inner city area of Toxteth. His ancestors also hail from Barbados and he is a descendant of slave trader Robert Cox.[2][3]

Westgaph left school at the age of 16. In 2008 he completed a Masters in Atlantic History at Liverpool University.[4]

Career

Westgaph began work as a model in Liverpool. He invested his earnings in property in the deprived Toxteth area of Liverpool. Westgaph became a vocal campaigner for regeneration of the area, helping to introduce new business and housing developments into the area.

Westgaph was given a Black Achievers Award for his work raising the profile of the history of Liverpool. He had produced a pamphlet titled "Read the signs" examining the history of Liverpool street names.[5]

Westgraph has appeared in a number of BBC TV and radio programmes. He worked on Inside Out and worked with Melvyn Bragg on the BBC Radio 4 programme The Routes of English, discussing slavery. He was part of a team who made a series for the History Channel in 2008 called 50 Things You Need To Know About British History. However it faced criticism for failing to include the likes of Winston Churchill and Queen Victoria. Westgaph also filmed a documentary for the History Channel titled Britain's Slavery Secrets, examining the history of the slave trade.[4] Other figures he has worked with include John Peel and Trevor Phillips.

He is a founder member of the Liverpool Black Leadership Forum and is currently writing his first book and working on a PhD.[6] He produced a guide to Liverpool's involvement in the Atlantic slave trade for Historic England and gives walking tours in Liverpool covering the topic.[7][8] In 2020 he became the historian-in-residence at National Museums Liverpool, with the aim of supporting the group to become anti-racist.[9]

Lectures, presentations, talks and exhibitions

Westgaph has given a number of lectures, presentations and exhibitions on the subject of Liverpool history and slavery for institutions including (and not limited to):

  • 25.11.17 The Bluecoat: Bluecoat 300: Charity, Philanthropy and the Black Atlantic [10]
  • Museum of Liverpool: L8 Unseen (now available in The Kuumba Imani Millennium Centre) [11]
  • 02.10.20 - Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine: Liverpool Philanthropy, Slavery and Empire [12]
  • 03.10.20 - Liverpool Parish Church: Liverpool commemorates the city's first black citizen [13] [14]
  • 27.10.20 - Open Eye Gallery: Liverpool Slavery Virtual Tour [15]
  • 23.08.21 - Mayor Joanne Anderson in conversation with Laurence Westgaph [16]
  • 11.10.21 - Sefton Park Palm House: Sculpture, Philanthropy and Liverpool’s Slave Trade [17]
  • 2021 - Liverpool Black Men's Group: Liverpool Community Podcast
    • Identity [18]
    • Black Presence
    • Conversation with Laurence Westgaph
    • Activism
  • 11.03.22 - Africa Oye: Oye World Pod [19]
  • 24.03.22 - National Museums Liverpool, Lady Lever Art Gallery: Uncovering African presence in Merseyside with Laurence Westgaph[20]
  • 2022 Liverpool Against Racism Conference [1]
  • 23.08.23 - National Museums of Liverpool: Dorothy Kuya Memorial Lecture - Professor Hakim Adi, Q&A Chaired by Laurence Westgaph [21]

Personal interests and activism

He is a member of the Liverpool Black Men's Group, established in May 2020 to provide a forum for discussion of issues pertaining to the Black experience in Liverpool, with the hope that it can inspire Black men to become politically and socially active within Liverpool and further afield. [2]

References

  1. ^ Young, Lola (15 March 2007). "Lola Young on myths and ignorance surrounding the slave trade". The Guardian – via www.theguardian.com.
  2. ^ "BBC Inside Out -". www.bbc.co.uk.
  3. ^ Wallace, Elizabeth Kowaleski (11 January 2006). The British Slave Trade and Public Memory. Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231510318 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ a b "Historian, PHD student" University of Liverpool
  5. ^ "English Heritage". www.english-heritage.org.uk.
  6. ^ http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/site/On_Screen_Talent_Directory.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  7. ^ Rossi, Alex (6 July 2020). "Black Lives Matter: The sinister history of slave trade behind Liverpool's magnificent monuments". Sky News. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Black Lives Matter: Liverpool 'not doing enough' over slavery links". BBC News. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Laurence Westgaph to help National Museums Liverpool 'be anti-racist'". BBC News. 6 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  10. ^ The Bluecoat (25.11.2017). "Bluecoat 300: Charity, Philanthropy and the Black Atlantic" (PDF). {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ "Picturing a state of mind, an idea, a culture - L8 Unseen". 14 December 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  12. ^ "LSTM virtual seminar: Laurence Westgaph on 'Liverpool Philanthropy, Slavery and Empire'". LSTM. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  13. ^ liverpoolparishchurchadmin (12 April 2022). "Black History Month". Liverpool Parish Church. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  14. ^ Wilde, Clare (2 October 2020). "Liverpool commemorates the city's first black citizen - Culture Liverpool". www.cultureliverpool.co.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  15. ^ "Watch: Liverpool Slavery Virtual Tour". Open Eye Gallery. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  16. ^ Quintal, Anna (23 August 2021). "Mayor Joanne Anderson in conversation with Laurence Westgaph". Liverpool Express. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  17. ^ McAllister, Naomi (22 February 2022). "Laurence Westgaph presents; 'Sculpture, Philanthropy and Liverpool's Slave Trade'". Palm House Sefton Park. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  18. ^ Liverpool Black Men's Group Identity, retrieved 20 February 2024
  19. ^ "Oyé World Pod | Africa Oye – Africa Oye". africaoye.com. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  20. ^ "Uncovering African presence in Merseyside with Laurence Westgaph – Uncover Liverpool". Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  21. ^ "SRD 2023: Dorothy Kuya Memorial Lecture - Professor Hakim Adi". National Museums Liverpool. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
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