Stephen Lawrence Day
Stephen Lawrence was born on the 13 September 1974 to Doreen and Neville Lawrence. Growing up he had a talent for maths, art and design and aspired to be an architect that could have a positive impact on his local community.
Then when he was 18 years old, on the 22 April 1993 Stephen Lawrence was waiting for a bus with a friend when he was attacked and murdered in a racially motivated attack. With the initial police investigation five people were arrested but there were no convictions. It would take another 18 years before two people were convicted for his murder.
In the time after his death, Stephen’s family campaigned endlessly for justice to be brought against his attackers, eventually prompting a public inquiry into the handling of the case.
The result of this was the Macphearson Report, one of the most important moments in the modern history of criminal justice in Britain. The landmark report set out major problems within the police force, with it laying bear ‘a combination of professional incompetence, institutional racism and a failure of leadership’ when it came to investigate Stephen’s murder.
The report sent shockwaves through British policing and law that led to profound changes in attitudes towards racism within the police and within British society and helped to pave the way for a greater understanding of discrimination of all forms.
Stephen Lawrence Day
Stephen Lawrence Day was first launched by the Stephen Lawrence Foundation as a way to celebrate Stephen’s life and to help inspire a more inclusive society and foster more opportunities for marginalised people across the UK.
Proud to be Black
Here at the University, we hold equality as one of our core values and believe that everyone should be treated fairly and with respect. In October of last year, we celebrated Black History Month and launched our ‘Proud to be Black’ campaign. Celebrating our Black staff and students and the communities present within our University. Throughout the campaign staff and students across the university shared their heritage, what makes them proud and what black culture means to them.