Stephen Lawrence Day 2022 - More Timely than Ever

For several years now, we have explored the case of Stephen Lawrence - a tragic but incredibly important story in the history of racism and policing in the UK. This was first at the 2018 Into Film Festival, where a number of important figures came together to discuss the BBC documentary, Stephen: The Murder that Changed a Nation.

Following the official beginning of Stephen Lawrence Day in 2019 (falling on 22 April each year), we have continued to update our Marking Stephen Lawrence Day article, which includes crucial resources from the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation and the BBC, as well as an interview with teacher and brother of Stephen, Stuart Lawrence.

For last year's Stephen Lawrence Day, the central campaign, 'Never Forget Stephen Lawrence' brought together over 70 figures from the worlds of music, film, television, sport, politics and fashion in a three minute short film (you can watch the sixty second version at the top of the article). They lent their time and voices to support the work of the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation and to help shine a spotlight on the life and legacy of Stephen Lawrence. Some of the contributors include Idris Elba OBE, MP David Lammy, Sir Lewis Hamilton and Sir Keir Starmer.

The Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation has continued to organise a number of events this year including assemblies for both primary and secondary students, online and in-person careers events, a community football match and a 'Legacy of Change' exhibition at Brixton village. Find out more about how to get involved on the Stephen Lawrence Day website - the Classroom area is particularly useful and it includes sections for school leaders, every single age group/key stage and a final one on social actions.

Finally, Stuart Lawrence was recently appointed as a patron for the brilliant organisation The Black Curriculum, which aims to deliver Black British history all across the UK. He has also published the book Silence is Not an Option; a self-help manual for young people based on Stuart's insights from his 15-year career as a secondary school teacher, as well as his reflections on his brother's life and death.

For additional film guides, film lists, resources and articles around this topic and related ones, head to our Black Lives Matter theme page.