David Olusoga writes history that connects people, places and the lives visible around us. Readers may know him through broadcasting, adult history or books shared with children. A festival visit offers time with a historian whose work moves between those audiences and asks how Britain understands its past.
Quick facts
Best known for
Black and British and writing history for different ages
Genre or subject
Public history, Black British history and historical broadcasting
Latest book
Black and British: An Illustrated History for Young Readers (2026 paperback edition), Two Hoots
Olusoga is a British-Nigerian historian, author, presenter and film-maker, and Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester. His professional work includes journalism, books and broadcasting. Television viewers may know A House Through Time or Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners; readers encounter that interest in public history through writing for adults and younger audiences.
Black and British won the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize and was shortlisted for the inaugural Jhalak Prize. The shorter children’s edition won Children’s Non-fiction Book of the Year at the 2021 British Book Awards. These books bring the subject to readers of different ages, with different amounts of space for its stories.
Two Hoots published the paperback edition of Black and British: An Illustrated History for Young Readers in September 2026. Jake Alexander and Melleny Taylor illustrated the book. This is a later edition of the illustrated history, whose account runs from Roman Britain towards the present; the pictures are part of how it introduces that long history.
Where to start with their books
Black and British
The adult history follows Black British lives across centuries, from Roman Britain to the present. Start here for the fullest reading route into Olusoga’s central subject; it connects those lives with the country’s wider economic and cultural history, including slavery and the experience of war.
Black and British: A Short, Essential History
This shorter version introduces the same long history to younger readers. The publisher recommends it for ages twelve and up, making it a starting point for an older child who wants a connected account in a more compact book; families can read and discuss it together.
A House Through Time
Written with Melanie Backe-Hansen, this book uses the history of homes to explore the British city and gives readers ways to investigate their own houses. Choose it if a building, street or neighbourhood first drew you to history; the close view of a home opens onto wider change.
Festival appearances
For tickets, use the host festival’s official box office. Confirm the date, venue and access details before paying.
Edinburgh brought Olusoga and Paterson Joseph together for Changemakers on 23 August in Venue NW. The following day, The Front List welcomed him to McEwan Hall. The two sessions gave visitors a shared conversation and a separate author event on successive days.
Where to see them next
No 2027 appearances announced yet. Check the festival guides for programme dates.
Plan your trip
For a visit with a younger reader, browse the illustrated history together beforehand and let them choose an image, person or question to take away from the book. You do not need to turn a festival day into a test of dates; curiosity is enough.
If you know Olusoga mainly from television, give yourself time to look at a few pages before travelling. Seeing how the book uses images and text can add to the pleasure of hearing him. Choose a relaxed stretch of the day afterwards to compare what interested you, and use the guides for transport and a place to stay.
The 2026 programmes featured David Olusoga at Edinburgh International Book Festival; follow those guides for event information and practical visit details.
Does he write history for children?
Yes. His publishing includes shorter and illustrated approaches to Black British history as well as adult books. Choose an edition that suits the reader, and check the festival’s own age guidance before booking a family session.
Can I attend if I know his television work best?
Yes. You can bring an interest in the people or places that caught your attention on screen. Browsing the book connected with the event can give you another way into the conversation without needing to complete a reading course.
Where should I buy a ticket to hear him?
Use the festival links on David Olusoga’s profile for the event’s own ticket and audience guidance.
