Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
The intertwined deaths of Stephen Lawrence and David Oluwale
April 2023 marks the anniversary of the unveiling and theft of a blue plaque commemorating David Oluwale’s life.
David Oluwale was a British Nigerian living in Leeds who died in 1969 after being assaulted by two police officers. April is also the 30th anniversary of Stephen Lawrence’s killing. Stephen Lawrence was a Black British teenager living in London who was murdered by a racist gang in 1993.
On the surface Stephen and David were very different.
David emigrated to the UK whilst Stephen was born in the UK. David was about 20 years older than Stephen. David mostly lived in Leeds, Stephen was in London. David was often homeless and had no family in the UK. Stephen lived with his loving parents Doreen and Neville and younger siblings. David was buried in a ‘pauper’s grave’ whilst Stephen was buried in a family tended grave. David’s education was cut short at 14 and he had mental health problems whilst Stephen excelled academically and socially. David may have liked hibiscus flowers, Stephen preferred architecture.
David liked tailored suits, Stephen dressed more casually.
But despite these differences and the twenty-four years that separated their deaths, Stephen and David’s lives are intertwined. Both David and Stephen were Black men living in the UK. Both were racially stereotyped: Stephen as a drug dealer and David as a dirty vagrant. Both were victims of racist violence. Both were failed by the police. Stephen’s killers openly bragged about their crime and re-enacted killing Black men on hidden surveillance footage. Just two of them were convicted 20 years after his killing. David’s likely killers bragged about cleaning up the streets and were only ever convicted of assault. Both have had their memorials repeatedly vandalised; and both have become symbols of British racism.
David Oluwale was most likely killed by two on duty Leeds police officers. The officers had terrorised him for years beforehand including beating him, urinating on him and kidnapping him. They were also witnessed on the night chasing him towards the River Aire where his body would later be discovered. Two officers were charged with the manslaughter and assault of David Oluwale. At their trial in 1971 the judge directed acquittal of the manslaughter charge, but they were briefly imprisoned for assault. A modicum, of justice was done.
Stephen was not killed by the police. However, he was failed by the police. The police were declared ‘institutionally racist’ by Lord MacPherson in the 1999 investigation of Stephen’s case. They failed to provide Stephen with first aid, bungled the investigation, and even spied on Stephen’s family and friends in order to discredit their campaign for justice.
A film and panel event will take place on the 25 April 2023 from 18:00-20:00 to reflect on David and Stephen’s lives. The event will also launch resources to learn more about David and Stephen’s lives. This includes an interactive timeline charting David Oluwale’s life created by Leeds Beckett University history students. The event is free to attend, led by Dr Henry Irving in collaboration with the David Oluwale Memorial Association and can be booked here.
Dr Henry Irving
Henry is a Senior Lecturer in Public History, level lead for the MA Social History and a British Academy Innovation Fellow.
Dr Glen Jankowski
Glen is a Senior Lecturer in Critical and Social Psychology. His research interests include medicalization, body image, curriculum diversification and anti-racism.
