Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh has a complex and often overlooked  Black history. With residents and institutions deeply involved in the transatlantic slave trade,  the African presence there dates back to the 16th century. Between the 18th and 19th centuries, that number expanded to include servants, soldiers, and seamen, some of whom were formerly enslaved, while others were free. They include Joseph Knight, a former slave who was influenced by Scottish Enlightenment thinkers based in Edinburgh. He successfully sued for his freedom in a landmark 1178 ruling. Meanwhile, John Edmonstone, a formerly enslaved man from Guyana, taught taxidermy to Charles Darwin, while the latter studied at the University of Edinburgh.

Today, the city’s prominent Black residents include Sir Geoff Palmer: Jamaica-born scientist and human rights activist, the first Black professor in Scotland, and a prominent voice on slavery and colonialism in Edinburgh; Eunice Olumide, an Edinburgh‑born model, actress, designer, DJ, and activist, known for speaking out about racism in Scotland and actor Ncuti Gatwa, a Rwandan‑born actor raised in Edinburgh/Dunfermline, who is known for being the first Black Doctor in Doctor Who television series.

In this video we speak to Lisa Williams about the city’s Black history and take the tour.