TV Presenter of “Black and British”, Professor of Public History At The University of Manchester & Finalist on The BBC’s Celebrity Traitors 2025
David Olusoga’s Biography:
David Olusoga OBE is one of Britain’s most respected historians, authors and broadcasters, renowned for his work uncovering hidden and overlooked histories. As Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester, his writing and presenting have reshaped public understanding of race, empire and identity in Britain. His bestselling books and acclaimed documentaries, including Black and British: A Forgotten History and A House Through Time, have reached global audiences, sparking national conversations about history, heritage and belonging.
Born in Lagos and raised in Newcastle, David studied the history of slavery at the University of Liverpool before moving into journalism and television research. He began his career behind the camera on landmark historical programmes, becoming a producer on series exploring empire, genocide and global conflict. In 2014, he transitioned to on-screen presenting with The World’s War, bringing forward the forgotten stories of colonial soldiers who fought in the First World War.
David has since become a prominent figure in British broadcasting, known for his powerful storytelling and human-centred approach to history. His major television work includes Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners, Civilisations, Statue Wars, Union with David Olusoga, and the BAFTA-winning examination of Britain’s role in slavery. He is also a regular contributor to BBC One’s The One Show and has appeared on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, further highlighting his wide cultural influence.
Alongside his television work, David is a prolific and award-winning author. His published works include The Kaiser’s Holocaust, The World’s War, Civilisations, and the bestselling Black and British: A Forgotten History. He continues to publish titles that expand access to Black history, including The Black History Book and Black History for Every Day of the Year. In 2025, he competed on the BBC’s The Celebrity Traitors alongside Ruby Wax and was appointed an ambassador for the National Trust, reflecting his ongoing cultural leadership and commitment to expanding historical awareness for all.
Why Hire David Olusoga?
David is a powerful, influential speaker who challenges how we think about history, identity and social change. Recognised with an OBE for services to history and community integration, he has received the British Academy’s President’s Medal, multiple honorary doctorates, several major book prizes and multiple BAFTA awards for his television work. A three-time Powerlist honouree, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential Black British thinkers of his generation.
On stage, David delivers thought-provoking keynotes that combine deep scholarship with humanity, clarity and evidence-based insight. He helps audiences understand where we come from — and how history shapes the present and the future. His presentations inspire better leadership, better community understanding and better cultural awareness, making him a highly sought-after speaker for organisations across business, culture, education and public policy.
David Olusoga’s Career Highlights:
Below showcases David Olusoga’s career highlights throughout television and more:
- 2025 – Finalist on The Celebrity Traitors, bringing history and intelligence to a major primetime television audience.
- 2025 – Appointed Ambassador for the National Trust, supporting inclusive and representative storytelling.
- 2024 – Published Black History for Every Day of the Year, expanding access to global history for younger audiences.
- 2021 – Awarded the President’s Medal from the British Academy for services to humanities and social sciences.
- 2019 – Appointed Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester.
- 2019 – Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to history and community integration.
- 2017 – Winner of the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize and the Longman–History Today Award for Black and British.
- 2016 – Received a BAFTA for Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners.
- 2015 – World War One Book of the Year for The World’s War.
- 2014 – Began television presenting career with The World’s War: Forgotten Soldiers of Empire.
Videos
David Olusoga’s Official Keynote Speaking Videos & Showreel:
Testimonials
“The event was a success and staff were really engaged and definitely took away a lot from the discussions. Please thank David Olusoga on our behalf and express our gratitude to him for helping raise the profile of diversity in the workplace and hope that he too, enjoyed the hour spent with our Urenco audience. – Cheryl, Company Secretarial Assistant, Urenco Limited
“On behalf of everyone at Rothesay I wanted to extend our thanks for your participation in our Black History Month event on Tuesday. The feedback from colleagues has been overwhelmingly positive.I was truly impressed by your depth of knowledge, your skill in educating us and articulating the challenges that we can encounter. Your presentation sparked some meaningful conversations among our team. As you know, this was the first Black History Month event at the company so presentation was an important step towards understanding and celebrating Black History. I am grateful for the awareness and understanding you’ve brought to our workplace.” – Rothesay
“Yes, all went really well. David was brilliant, and we had a very engaged session and lots of positive feedback and thoughts for the future. I’m sure we’d love to perhaps follow up with him again in the future. Please pass on our thanks” – Helen, Chief Banking Officer, Starling Bank
“Please pass on my thanks to David and our team for setting up today’s session. Having these opportunities to listen and discuss such important subjects and ones outside of our ‘core’ business is truly valuable and enriches us as a group” – Ornella, Cognizant
“Thank you, David, it was a privilege to have you and hear your personal story. It was our most anticipated and well-attended event as part of our Black History Month initiative at UBS and for good reason! We have received some great feedback from viewers, many citing it as one of the most insightful and impactful sessions they have watched at UBS. So many left the session having learnt something new about Black British history and gained an understanding of the depth of ideas behind racism in society. We’d love to have you back again!” – Joseph, UBS
“David is such a wonderful speaker and of course very professional (which made all of the practical/tech stuff very easy!). We had great engagement as well with over 100 people on the live stream and about 50 more joining to watch on the big screen in our office. Please do pass on our sincere thanks to David for giving up his time for such a compelling, insightful talk” – Jahnavi, Deliveroo
“AMAZING! We were absolutely blown away, I’ve had amazing feedback already!… Just some of the feedback I have had: ‘An educational, interesting and thought-provoking start to Black History Month… it’s made me want to educate myself and find out more’, ‘it was really impactful, I’ve seen David Olusoga on a few programmes and he was just as engaging today, it felt special to have someone with recent facts and so much experience of study in this area to explain it all so eloquently’ and ‘one of the greatest speakers we have had in!’… some immediate snippets!” – Jessica, International Technical Service Manager, Premier Foods
Speaking Topics
David Olusoga’s Official Keynote Topics:
- Black History
- History and The Future
- Diversity & Inclusion
How Much Does David Olusoga Cost to Hire?
How Much Does it Cost to Hire David Olusoga?
The cost of hiring David Olusoga depends on your event needs, including format, location and length of appearance. For an accurate quote, contact a London Keynote Speakers Agency booking agent for expert guidance.