Should we still celebrate Churchill in 2018?

Winston Churchill’s face appears on our £5 notes and a film that celebrates his life has just made over $100-million-dollars at the box office. But how many people know about his dark past?
 
This event is not about demonising a famous icon, but purely seeks to question whether historical amnesia is responsible for some of the polarisation we see in discussions today. The legacies of both Cecil Rhodes and Edward Colston have come under extreme scrutiny in recent times. Does Churchill deserve the same scrutiny despite his great achievements for Britain during WW2?
 
Is it fair to view the past through a modern day lens?
 
Is the celebration of icons with a record of extreme racism disrespectful to people of colour today?
 
Can we find a middle ground of both praising the achievements of people like Churchill, while also condemning his history of racism?
 
Come along to the event to discuss and explore some of the topics above.
Room: Lucas Lecture Theatre