Laurence Westgaph Explained

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 master's degree in Atlantic History at Liverpool University.[4] [5]

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.[6]

Westgaph 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. 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.[7] He produced a guide to Liverpool's involvement in the Atlantic slave trade for Historic England and gives walking tours [8] in Liverpool covering the topic.[9] [10] In 2020 he became the historian-in-residence at National Museums Liverpool, with the aim of supporting the group to become anti-racist.[11]

Lectures, presentations, talks, interviews 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):

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.[26]

Notes and References

  1. News: Lola Young on myths and ignorance surrounding the slave trade. Lola. Young. The Guardian . 15 March 2007. www.theguardian.com.
  2. Web site: BBC Inside Out -. www.bbc.co.uk.
  3. Book: Wallace, Elizabeth Kowaleski. The British Slave Trade and Public Memory. 11 January 2006. Columbia University Press. 9780231510318. Google Books.
  4. https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/history/staff/phd-students/ "Historian, PHD student"
  5. Westgaph . Laurence . Richardson . David . Schwarz . Suzanne . Tibbles . Anthony . 2008-12-22 . LIVERPOOL’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE SLAVE TRADE - Liverpool and the Transatlantic Slave Trade . 10.1017/S0021853708004040 . Journal of African History . 49 . 3 . 481–482.
  6. Web site: English Heritage. www.english-heritage.org.uk.
  7. Web site: Diverse On Screen Talent Directory . 2024-06-29.
  8. Web site: Discover Laurence Westgaph Events & Activities in Liverpool, United Kingdom . 2024-02-20 . Eventbrite . en-us.
  9. News: Rossi. Alex. 6 July 2020. Black Lives Matter: The sinister history of slave trade behind Liverpool's magnificent monuments. Sky News. 6 July 2020.
  10. News: 8 June 2020. Black Lives Matter: Liverpool 'not doing enough' over slavery links. BBC News. 6 July 2020.
  11. News: 6 August 2020. Laurence Westgaph to help National Museums Liverpool 'be anti-racist'. BBC News. 27 August 2020.
  12. News: The Bluecoat . 2017-11-25 . Bluecoat 300: Charity, Philanthropy and the Black Atlantic .
  13. Web site: 2022-12-14 . Picturing a state of mind, an idea, a culture - L8 Unseen . 2024-02-20 . en-US.
  14. Web site: LSTM virtual seminar: Laurence Westgaph on 'Liverpool Philanthropy, Slavery and Empire' . 2024-02-20 . LSTM . en.
  15. Web site: liverpoolparishchurchadmin . 2022-04-12 . Black History Month . 2024-02-20 . Liverpool Parish Church . en-GB.
  16. Web site: Wilde . Clare . 2020-10-02 . Liverpool commemorates the city’s first black citizen - Culture Liverpool . 2024-02-20 . www.cultureliverpool.co.uk . en-GB.
  17. Web site: Watch: Liverpool Slavery Virtual Tour . 2024-02-20 . Open Eye Gallery . en-US.
  18. Web site: Quintal . Anna . 2021-08-23 . Mayor Joanne Anderson in conversation with Laurence Westgaph . 2024-02-20 . Liverpool Express . en-GB.
  19. Web site: McAllister . Naomi . 2022-02-22 . Laurence Westgaph presents; 'Sculpture, Philanthropy and Liverpool’s Slave Trade' . 2024-02-20 . Palm House Sefton Park . en-GB.
  20. Web site: Statues Redressed . 2024-02-20 . Sky . en-GB.
  21. Web site: Oyé World Pod Africa Oye – Africa Oye . 2024-02-20 . africaoye.com . en.
  22. Web site: Uncovering African presence in Merseyside with Laurence Westgaph – Uncover Liverpool . 2024-02-20 . en-GB.
  23. Web site: 2022-03-16 . LIVERPOOL AGAINST RACISM - Culture Liverpool . 2024-02-20 . www.cultureliverpool.co.uk . en-GB.
  24. News: 2023-03-11 . I rarely saw people who looked like me, says Liverpool photographer . 2024-02-20 . en-GB.
  25. Web site: SRD 2023: Dorothy Kuya Memorial Lecture - Professor Hakim Adi . 2024-02-20 . National Museums Liverpool.
  26. Web site: 2018-11-27 . Home - Liverpool Black Men's Group . 2024-02-20 . en-US.

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