Professor David Olusoga is a revered TV historian, a writer and a practising academic at Manchester University. In 2022 he was the recipient of the Historical Association's annual Medlicott medal, awarded for outstanding contributions to history.

The recipient of the medal provides the closing lecture of the HA's annual awards evening. Professor Olusoga spoke elegantly and passionately about the way that history is politicised and how important it is that we are all able to know about and understand the diverse history of the societies we live in. He addressed issues of inclusion, diversity and ensuring that history is used to embrace an understanding of our collective pasts, warts and all, not simply used as a way to instil patriotism and idealised views of past societies: