Top Journalists Speaking in Leeds Tomorrow

Two pioneering journalists from different generations are speaking in Leeds tomorrow,  and their lunchtime talks at Leeds Trinity University are open to interested Culture Vulture readers.

Lionel Morrison rose to prominence as the first black president of the National Union of Journalists. His talk at 1 o’clock on Wednesday 23rd October has been arranged as part of the University’s celebration of Black History Month.

Lionel Morrison
Lionel Morrison (Photo: Oscar Webb)

​Lionel Morrison OBE has been a campaigning journalist for racial equality and media trainer for more than 50 years.

Born in South Africa, he was a lifelong opponent of apartheid and a member of the South African Congress movement. He was imprisoned several times and was the youngest detainee in the infamous Treason Trial in 1956, along with 155 other anti-apartheid activists who included Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu.

He started working as a tabloid reporter on the first black weekly newspaper, Golden City Post and Drum magazine, in 1955, and founded the first non-racial media union in South Africa.

In 1960 after the Sharpville massacres, he left for Britain as an exile where he has lived and worked in Britain since 1969 as a reporter. He is a long standing member of the National Union of Journalists, and was its first black president in 1987. He has been particularly active in the housing field and for many years was chair of one of the country’s biggest housing associations, Notting Hill Housing Trust. He was awarded an OBE for his work in 1999.

There;s a change of pace at 2 o’clock as Leeds Trinity University welcomes alumnus and BBC radio presenter, Shaun Keaveny, back to campus.

Shaun Keaveny
Shaun Keaveny

Since graduating with a Theology and Media degree from Leeds Trinity University, Shaun has been on a very successful journey through the world of radio and media.

He’s best known for his role as presenter of BBC Radio 6 Music’s popular breakfast show, which he has presented since 2007 after taking over from his predecessor Phil Jupitus. Shaun also deputises for presenters on Radio 2, is a stand-up comedian and has presented festival coverage from Latitude and the Isle of Wight for Sky Arts.

He is also the author of R2D2 lives in Preston, a compilation of little known facts relating to various towns throughout the United Kingdom, advised by listeners to his radio show in a feature entitled ‘Toast The Nation’.

Shaun will be delivering a short talk about his ‘Travels in the Media’, followed by a Q&A.

Leeds Trinity Universityis inviting visitors to attend either of these sessions.

The campus is located less than a mile from Horsforth train station (with a free shuttle bus) , is on the 97 bus route, and has visitor parking.