Available to book
David Olusoga
Diversity and Inclusion
Allyship
Unconscious Bias
Transform organisational diversity through David Olusoga, award-winning historian and public history expert. David equips leaders with historical context for addressing unconscious bias and structural inequalities. OBE recipient, BBC documentary creator, and University of Manchester professor specialising in British black history and inclusive culture development.
Black History Month
Educator
Historian
Academic
Broadcaster
Inclusion
Author
David Olusoga is a historian and broadcaster who illuminates Britain's Black history through award-winning documentaries, books, and academic work. His research brings critical perspectives on slavery, empire, and racial identity to mainstream audiences.
As Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester and recipient of an OBE in 2019, David has created landmark BBC series including Black and British: A Forgotten History and A House Through Time. His book Black & British won the prestigious Longman-History Today Trustees Award, while The World's War was named 2015 World War One Book of the Year.
David helps organisations confront historical blind spots that shape contemporary challenges around diversity and inclusion. Drawing from his Nigerian heritage and personal experiences with racism in the UK, he provides historical context for modern social issues, enabling institutions to build more inclusive cultures through evidence-based understanding of structural inequalities.
Audiences gain practical frameworks for addressing unconscious bias in organisational structures, develop deeper understanding of how historical narratives influence present-day decision-making, and leave with actionable approaches to creating more equitable environments.
Book David for insights that transform historical awareness into meaningful organisational change.
Topics, sessions and talks
In his keynote presentation, David Olusoga challenges attendees to rethink the marginalised history of Black British individuals within the context of British trade and empire. By examining industries like tea and cotton, he highlights the contributions of enslaved Black Americans and Africans, promoting a more interconnected understanding of British history. David delves into various historical periods, from the Napoleonic wars to Tudor times. Attendees will gain insights into the complexities of Black British history and its significance in shaping mainstream narratives.
David Olusoga, award-winning historian and broadcaster, brings critical perspectives on Britain's Black history that help organisations confront historical blind spots shaping contemporary challenges around diversity and inclusion. Book this OBE recipient and University of Manchester professor to transform your team's historical awareness into meaningful organisational change.
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frequently asked questions
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Email david.olusoga@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm David's availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience.
David Olusoga structures his keynote around a thematic examination of specific industries — such as tea and cotton — to trace the contributions of enslaved Black Americans and Africans to British economic history, moving across periods from Tudor times to the Napoleonic Wars to build a cumulative, evidence-based reframing of mainstream British historical narratives.
David Olusoga OBE speaks on marginalised Black British history, the legacies of slavery and empire, and the role of historical narratives in shaping contemporary diversity and inclusion. He is Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester and recipient of an OBE, whose BBC series Black and British: A Forgotten History and book Black & British, winner of the Longman-History Today Trustees Award, brought these histories to mainstream audiences.
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