“We’re part of a longer story”: David Olusoga on history, empathy and legacy

David Olusoga wants us to know that we all leave a mark on the world. As one of the UK’s best-known historians, he’s spent much of his career telling the stories of those overlooked in history, whether that’s the black and Asian troops who fought in World War One or the residents of a Victorian terrace house in Liverpool. “History is about our own ancestors, no matter how humble their lives,” he says. “It’s about our own houses, not just palaces.”

Throughout his three-decade career as an academic, broadcaster and writer, the common thread in his work is the idea that history happens to all of us. “At the heart of what I do are histories about ordinary people, and they can be ordinary people that you can find living in a house in Edinburgh, or ordinary people whose names appear on a register of enslaved people in the Caribbean,” he says.

Family, education and a passion for history

Olusoga’s own history began in Lagos, Nigeria, where he was born in 1970 to a Nigerian father and British mother. When he was five, following his parents’ separation, his mother moved back to the UK with David and his siblings, settling in Gateshead.

His mother was a fierce advocate for education, encouraging Olusoga and his siblings to work hard and defy the modest expectations for children growing up on a council estate in a deprived area. “I was born into a family with very little money, but in a house full of books and musical instruments. In the summers we stayed with relatives in Edinburgh and London, going to museums and galleries. A belief in a right to a cultural life and a passion for education were fundamental to the way we were brought up.”

It was in his council house, watching documentaries presented by the historian Michael Wood, where his passion for bringing the past to life was sparked. “One of the problems with the way history is sometimes taught is that it seems very distant,” he says.

“Michael stamped history on the landscape. It made you realise that when you were on a train looking out of a window, that was a place where history had taken place. That these ancient cathedrals and cities weren't just boring buildings, as you might think as a child, but places in which great dramas had taken place.”

While Olusoga’s childhood was full of cultural inspiration, it was also marked by racism. He and his family experienced violence and abuse on their estate, including an attack on their home that forced them to move out.

These experiences might understandably leave deep emotional scars, but the historian has chosen to not allow the events of his past to define him.

“I have very deliberately not wanted to allow those experiences to shape my relationship with my country, with my identity, with the part of the world I'm from,” he explains. “I'm not going to have a relationship with my country or the city I was brought up in based on a minority of people who were racist and violent.”

“Maybe my therapist would disagree, but I think we can, to an extent, decide which of our life experiences are going to be the dominant ones that shape our life.”

A life shaped by empathy

Inspired by his grandfather, Olusoga sees empathy as central to both his life and work as a historian

Matthew Pover

One of Olusoga’s most important influences was his grandfather. "He was one of the most gentle people I've ever met in my life. I think about how annoying we were as children and he never raised his voice, never seemed angry with us. He was a remarkably empathetic human being.”

Empathy, for David, is the most important quality we can possess. “It's hard to think of anything more valuable than the capacity to empathise,” he says. “Empathy underpins how I try to live my professional life, and I hope it's how I manage to live my personal life.”

As a historian, it allows him to go beyond the facts to imagine the reality of living through a moment. “It is trying to put yourself in the shoes of somebody who lived and died before you were born, who faced choices and dilemmas unknown to you.”

Why everyone deserves equal care

Besides his work as a historian, Olusoga has campaigned around health inequality, speaking out on how race, class and circumstances shape not just how we experience life, but how long that life might be. “It’s really stark,” he says. “I live in a village in North Somerset, but I'm from Gateshead, one of the poorest places in the country. The life expectancy gap between the South West and the North East is just astonishing.”

When it comes to cancer, factors such as where someone lives, the colour of their skin or how much they earn can affect how quickly they are diagnosed, the care they receive, and their chances of recovery. This is why this year Macmillan Cancer Support launched their Fair Cancer Care campaign, to raise awareness and call for change.

While Olusoga hasn’t had cancer, he has experienced significant health issues which saw him turn to charities for support. “I had a serious illness in my 40s and was off work for well over a year,” he says. “I’ve had that experience where you get a diagnosis and your life changes overnight. If you're lucky there's a world of charities that can help you and a community of people going through the same experiences.”

He sees charities not as a ‘nice to have’, but a vital support system. “Charities like Macmillan are absolutely essential. They are fundamental, and we are very lucky to have them. And I believe we should all support them.”

“Charities exist because other people, people who are no longer with us, chose to invest their legacies in them. When you are ill, you are supported by the kindness and empathy of past generations.”

A legacy that speaks to the future

Olusoga has won two BAFTAs, recognising his work bringing more diverse perspectives to historical storytelling

Alamy

For many charities a large chunk of their funding comes from gifts in wills — in Macmillan’s case, over one third. The number of people diagnosed with cancer is growing, and every one of them needs the best support to meet their unique needs. Gifts in wills help Macmillan do whatever it takes to help everyone living with cancer across the UK get the support they need right now, and transform cancer care for those who will be diagnosed in the future.

Olusoga didn’t write a will himself until after he became a father. “Having a child makes you realise that part of adulthood is to think beyond your own lifespan,” he says.

For a historian, wills can reveal far more than just the details of someone’s estate. “Making A House Through Time, one of the key documents we use are wills. We sometimes follow a historical character throughout their life story, and you only really understand who they are, what their priorities were, and what they wanted to do in the world, in that last document.”

But wills are about what comes next, too. “It is your chance not just to settle your affairs and all of that very important, rather prosaic, practical stuff. It is also a moment to speak to the future.”

What does he want his own legacy to be? “I hope I pass on my sense of empathy,” he says. As for his work, he’s more modest. “I think historians need to see themselves not as great voices, but as links in a chain. New discoveries will be made, which will develop and move on from the things that you wrote. We’re part of a longer story, in dialogue with each other over the generations.”

“Macmillan were a helping hand when I really needed it”

Macmillan’s advice and support helped Renita and her family navigate the challenges of breast cancer

Justin Downing

Renita, an author and mum-of-two, was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2024. She explains how vital Macmillan’s support has been.

“When my mum found a lump in May 2025 — which was benign — I thought I’d check, too. I found two lumps on my left breast. A biopsy and ultrasound confirmed it was cancer. When you hear it, you sort of expect it, but you still hope against hope it isn’t true.

“When I was diagnosed my nurse gave me Macmillan leaflets and the number for the support line. My mum came over to help, but my kids found it very hard. My daughter didn’t want to return to uni — but advice from the Macmillan Support Line reassured her. My son was afraid to see me, he was afraid of the changes. Again, Macmillan helped by sharing positive statistics about survival rates.

“I had a mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The chemo side effects were very tough. I had nausea, body aches and itching, and then came the hair loss.

“Macmillan volunteers always came into the chemo unit for a chat, which was a great help. I also went to a Macmillan scarf-tying workshop and spoke to them about finances. The Macmillan online community was also a rock. Knowing other people had been through the same thing and come through the other side really helped.

“Without Macmillan, my cancer experience would have been very difficult. I would have felt suddenly put out to sea without knowing how to swim. It’s like someone offering you a helping hand when you really need it.”

How Macmillan can help

Whether you’re living with cancer yourself or supporting someone you love, having someone to turn to can make all the difference. Macmillan offers a range of services, advice and help whenever it’s needed. The Macmillan Support Line offers free, confidential support to people living with cancer and those who care about them. Whether you need emotional reassurance, practical information or guidance on money worries, their team of specialists is there to help.

Macmillan's Online Community is a free, safe space for anyone affected by cancer to connect and share experiences with others who understand. It’s available 24 hours a day, so people can ask questions, express their thoughts or talk about their worries, whatever the time of day or night.

Many people, like David, are already living their legacy by sharing the values and beliefs they hope will inspire future generations. When those values are turned into action, they can change lives. That's why people like Renita are able to find support through Macmillan's Support Line and Online Community.

A gift in your Will could help ensure that future generations of people living with cancer receive the care and support they need, wherever they live and whoever they are. Find out how you can make a difference by ordering your free Gifts in Wills guide here

Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland.