David Starkey stripped of university professorship after ‘damn blacks’ comment
British academic and media personality, David Starkey, is facing backlash after he dismissed that slavery was genocide because “so many damn blacks” survived.
The 75 year old has been dropped from his post as visiting professor from Canterbury Christ Church University.
We have terminated David Starkey’s position as Visiting Professor with immediate effect. His comments are completely unacceptable and totally go against our University and community values.
— CanterburyCCUni ? (@CanterburyCCUni) July 3, 2020
Mr Starkey also teaches at Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge, where he has stepped down from his fellowship with immediate effect. The master of the college has described Starkey’s comments as “indefensible.”
The comments were made during an online interview with right-wing commentator Darren Grimes.
Mr Grimes has since come under fire also for calling David Starkey a “hero” at the end of the interview.
He has since defended himself saying “my hero comment was more a reflection on how much I’d appreciated his history programmes growing up.”
"Slavery was not genocide, otherwise there wouldn't be so many damn blacks in Africa or in Britain would there?"
David Starkey, one of the most widely known popular 'historians' in the UK who has been a regular fixture on TV and other media for decades. pic.twitter.com/gVeodJakTW
— Louis (@Louis_Allday) July 2, 2020
Former chancellor Sajid Javid tweeted: “David Starkey’s racist comments are a reminder of the appalling views that still exist.”