The Craft lecture series launched in 2023 and creates a space to reflect on topics of inequality and social justice.
The series explores the context of different historical power dynamics and consider how we deal with the consequences of colonialism and engage in initiatives towards a sustainable future.
About Ellen and William Craft
The Craft lecture series celebrates the achievements of Ellen and William Craft, as representatives of those who globally fought against the slave trade. The Crafts were freedom fighters – refugees from slavery who became campaigners for its abolition.
A black married couple, Ellen and William were both born into slavery in Georgia in the 1820s but managed to flee to England in 1850. In 1860 they produced an account of their daring escape entitled “Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom”. The Crafts returned to Boston in 1869, after the US Civil War had ended, and set up a school for the newly freed.
Colonialism and Climate Change
The second annual Craft Lecture was held in November 2024. The event featured a panel discussion on the links between colonialism and climate change and how history impacts the world we live in.
Watch the event recording:
The panel discussion was chaired by Dr. Sujata Visaria and featured Clive Lewis (MP), Professor Gurminder K Bhambra and Dr Leon Sealey-Huggins. The event was hosted by Malla Pratt, Director for Racial Equity and Inclusion.
Read more about the 2024 Craft Lecture
Capital, Slavery and Corporate Responsibility
The first lecture was held in October 2023 on “Capital, Slavery and Corporate Responsibility. Learning from the Past to Build a Better Future: Reflections from the Church Commissioners’ Journey”
Watch the event recording
The speaker was Alan Smith, First Church Estates Commissioner at The Church of England. The lecture was opened by Dr Paul Lashmar, Reader in Journalism at City, University of London and was hosted by Malla Pratt, Director for Racial Equity and Inclusion.
Read more about the inaugural Craft lecture