Black people did not study at the University of Oxford. They came only to drive buses and work in car factories!
It was this crude insult that stated black people did not go to the University of Oxford. Instead, we only came to work in the car factory and drive the buses. Black people did not study at the University!
The remark was the catalyst for undertaking research, which led me to write the book – Black Oxford – The Untold Stories of Oxford University’s Black Scholars and establish Black Oxford Untold Stories to amplify and celebrate the contributions and legacies of historical and contemporary black scholars from the turn of the 20th century through the delivery of lecture and creative programmes. www.blackoxford.net
However, many visitors to Oxford still have the perception of the University being a bastion of white elite privilege. They are more familiar with the names of Oscar Wilde, Percy Shelley, Bill Clinton, C.S. Lewis, and Margaret Thatcher, with little or no knowledge about Black scholars.
So, I am delighted to announce Black Oxford: The Untold Stories of Oxford University’s Black Scholars is now available at the Visitors Information Point. The accessibility of the Visitor Information Point at 44 – 45 High Street, Oxford, will enable visitors to the city to find and purchase a copy of the book and learn more about the Black presence at the University and its many scholars, from Christian Frederick Cole, the first Black scholar in 1873 to the first African woman Kofoworola Moore, and the first Rhodes Scholar, Alain LeRoy Locke.
Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with the stories of historical and inspirational scholars and gain a deeper understanding of this unknown strand in the university’s history and its relationship with the wider world.
Mark your calendars and join me for an event that promises to be both enlightening and informative.
Date and time: Saturday, March 23 · 11am – 3pm GMT
Reserve a spot Here
Location: 44-45 High Street Oxford OX1 4AP
About the Author
Pamela is an award-winning creative producer, historian, and published author. Pamela produces creative projects utilising archival or academic information, making projects accessible to the wider public by removing barriers of accessibility or demystifying academic jargon to present and bring untold stories to life via theatre, media, literature, lectures and tours. She is the author of Black Oxford: The Untold Stories of Oxford University’s Black Scholars, and her work as the Founder and Director of Black Oxford Untold Stories has raised the profile of many black scholars at the University of Oxford. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and an alumnus of the Eccles Centre for American Studies at the British Library.