To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Stephen Lawrence’s murder, the University of Greenwich is delivering a range of activities, commencing with a panel discussion in collaboration with the Stephen Lawrence Research Centre (SLRC).
The University of Greenwich is also working closely with the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation, established in 2020 by Stephen’s mother Baroness Doreen Lawrence OBE.315670
Baroness Lawrence is part of the Greenwich alumni community as well as a former member of staff and holds an honorary doctorate from the University.
Vice-Chancellor & CEO of the University of Greenwich, Professor Jane Harrington said:
“We are immensely proud of our partnership with the Stephen Lawrence Foundation and Baroness Lawrence and we are determined to continue Stephen’s legacy of positive change.
“Stephen’s legacy for change speaks to our values and we are honoured to collaborate on events that promote the message of a fairer society for all.”
Stephen Lawrence was a teenager when he was murdered in a racially motivated attack in 1993. In 2018, Prime Minister Theresa May announced that from 2019, April 22 would officially be recognised as Stephen Lawrence Day. The day is marked officially in the British calendar as a celebration of Stephen’s life and legacy.
The Stephen Lawrence Research Centre, based at De Montfort University (DMU) where Baroness Lawrence was formerly Chancellor, approached the University of Greenwich six months ago to play a part in a nationwide ‘Remembering Stephen Lawrence 30 years on: Stephen Lawrence Research Centre In Conversation Series’.
This has culminated in the upcoming free event on Wednesday 29th March at 6pm, when a panel will discuss the effect and reverberations of living in, and through, the spectre of Stephen’s legacy and its impact on the everyday places and spaces of South-East London. Previous events have been held at DMU and at the University of Manchester.
The panel will be chaired by Dr Lisa Palmer, the Stephen Lawrence Research Centre’s Interim Director and Dr Yusef Bakkali, who grew up in Brixton and is one of the Stephen Lawrence Research Centre’s Senior Legacy in Action Research Fellows.
Speakers include Dr Myrtle Emmanuel and Professor Louise Owusu-Kwarteng from University of Greenwich. They will be joined by Professor Lez Henry from the University of West London and Suresh Grove, who is Co-Director of The Monitoring Group, a leading anti-racist charity that promotes civil rights.
The panel will reflect upon the locality of South-East London in the making of anti-racist political activism including the campaign in support of the Lawrence family as well as the historical and political significance of the Black People’s Day of Action following the New Cross Fire and their impact on the everyday lives of local people and communities.
Dr Palmer said: “This third and final event has been inspired by material from the Stephen Lawrence Archive at DMU which helped shed light on the significance of Greenwich and south east London as a location in the struggle against anti-racist activism.
“We thought it was only right to host this conversation in this part of London to remember and honour Stephen and other victims of racist violence.
“We truly value the commitment, enthusiasm and support of colleagues at the University of Greenwich for this event.”
Charlton Athletic Football Club and Charlton Athletic Community Trust are also working with the University of Greenwich to remember Stephen’s life and legacy as part of their annual Red, White and Black themed match.
More events and activities are still to be announced in the lead-up to Stephen Lawrence Day and through the rest of the year, including an exhibition in the Stephen Lawrence Gallery.
The Gallery, based in the University of Greenwich Stockwell Street Building, was established in 2000 to promote diversity and the representation of visual cultures featuring the work of young contemporary visual practitioners from a wide range of disciplines, including artists, designers, and architects.
Jessica Neil, Chief Executive at the Stephen Lawrence Foundation said:
“Baroness Doreen Lawrence OBE has a close and longstanding connection with Greenwich University. As an alumna, former staff member, and honorary graduate, her unwavering commitment to social justice has inspired a highly valued and meaningful partnership between the university and the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation, the charitable entity she established in Stephen’s name.
“We are incredibly proud to support Baroness Lawrence in continuing Stephen’s legacy, working alongside our colleagues and friends at Greenwich to support and empower the next generation of leaders to explore the full breadth and depth of their potential and achieve their dreams.”
