Is examining the past a way to understand the present?

Health · Published 18 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Afua Hirsch argues that confronting uncomfortable history isn't about erasing the past, but about understanding how it shaped our current identity. From the ethics of public monuments to the legacies of colonialism, she explores how looking backward is a necessary tool for moving forward.

In 2017, Hirsch sparked a national debate in Britain by questioning whether Nelson's Column should be removed. While critics, including art historian Sir Roy Strong, dismissed the idea as an attempt to 'rewrite history,' Hirsch clarified her position. She argued that the goal was not to destroy landmarks but to compel a more careful examination of Britain's past to better understand the present. This commitment to historical reckoning is a central theme in her work. In her 2018 bestseller 'Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging,' she explores black history and culture through the lenses of Britain, Senegal, and Ghana. She was born in Norway to a British father and a Ghanaian mother. Her paternal grandfather fled Berlin in 1938. She was educated at Oxford and qualified as a barrister in 2006. Her work has been featured in outlets like Vogue and Prospect.

Her work often highlights the complexities of mixed heritage and the enduring impacts of systems like the transatlantic slave trade, which she explored in the 2020 documentary series 'Enslaved.' Hirsch’s approach also extends to the personal and the cultural. In her 2023 book 'Decolonising My Body,' she unpacks how identity shapes physical presence and beauty rituals. By highlighting lesser-known aspects of figures like Winston Churchill—specifically his attitudes toward Indians and advocacy for tear gassing—she seeks to provide a more complete, if uncomfortable, historical record. For Hirsch, the 'great reckoning' involves acknowledging these nuances to navigate modern identity. She co-presented a series with Samuel L. Jackson. Her production company, Born in Me, signed a deal with Fremantle in 2021. She also served as the Social Affairs and Education Editor for Sky News. She was named one of the most influential Africans in 2020.

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