Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine is hosting its third Black History Month event on Wednesday 28th October 13:00 – 14:00 in person.
Introduction
LSTM would like to welcome you to its third Black History Month event ‘Reckoning with the Colonial History of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine‘. This event is hosted by the school’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team.
The event will take place on Wednesday 28th October from 13:00 – 14:00 in person (with online access avaliable to LSTM Global Hub Partners) at LSTM’s Mary Kingsley building (found at the top of London Road closest to the Royal Liverpool hospital), hosted at the Nuffield Lecture theatre.
Background
In 2025, LSTM officially launched its two-year decolonial history research project to explore its own foundations in colonialism, with a view to developing a decolonial record of its first 25 year history, including reparative recommendations.
LSTM has a troubling history, which exemplifies the interconnectedness of colonialism and medicine, a relationship that has a profound impact on the field of Global Health today. The institution was created to further scientific understanding of tropical diseases in an effort to reduce their debilitating effects on colonial trade and resource exploitation, and it in turn created new forms of extraction and exploitation of colonised peoples. Though typically celebrated for its scientific advances, LSTM’s history is also one of support for colonial governments and imperial merchants, the taking of land and the extraction of bodies, body parts, and blood, racially prejudicial medicine and epistemicide.
Today, LSTM has undergone significant changes in light of its history, including the commissioning of this project and its wider race equity work, led by the school’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion function. The institution’s history matters for understanding enduring structural inequities that continue to shape Global Health as a discipline and offers LSTM opportunities to lead more equitable practice and partnerships now and into the future.
One year into the project, in this talk, the two project team members, Professor Rob Burroughs and Dr David Damtar, will discuss progress and challenges encountered so far, outline some initial key findings, and welcome reflections, questions and feedback from audience members.
Event running order
- 13:00 – 13:40 – Talk
- 13:40 – 14:00 – Q&A
- 14:00 – 14:30 – Networking (tea and coffee)
Speakers
Professor Rob Burroughs, Lead of LSTM’s Decolonial History Research Project
Dr David Damtar, Postdoctoral Research Associate of LSTM’s Decolonial History Research Project
Logistics
This is an in person event, with online access for LSTM’s Global Hub Partners only.
There is no on site parking avaliable. The closest car park is Paddington Village Multi-Storey Car Park (address: Elm Grove, Smithdown Ln, Grove St, Liverpool L7 3FA) or local avaliable council on street parking.
The closest public transport links include bus stops on London Road or trains via Liverpool Lime Street or Liverpool Central.
If anyone requires accessibility support please email LSTM’s Senior Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Manager Samia Benbrih at samia.benbrih@lstmed.ac.uk.
Tea and coffee will be available on the day.
For free tickets, visit here
There’s a fantastic selection of other Black History Month events to explore, including BlackFest workshops, Literary Talks and excellent Walking Tours by Writing on the Wall.
For the full BHM 2026 listings, visit here.