Miranda Kaufmann
Miranda Kaufmann was born in 1982 to a Jewish family in London. She grew up surrounded by museums, galleries, and theatres that shaped her early perspective on history. Walking down a London street often felt like taking a history lesson for her. This environment gave her an international outlook and curiosity about other people and cultures. It was also a hugely intellectually stimulating place to grow up. Her background set the stage for a career focused on Black British history.
Kaufmann read history at Christ Church, Oxford during her undergraduate years. She became interested in Black history as a research topic during her final year of study. In 2011 she completed her doctoral thesis entitled Africans in Britain, 1500, 1640. This work laid the foundation for her future publications and academic focus. The thesis explored the presence of Africans in England before the era of slavery. It challenged existing narratives about when Black people first arrived in the country.
Her book Black Tudors: The Untold Story was published in 2017 by Oneworld Publications. Bidisha wrote in The Guardian that the book debunks the idea that slavery was the beginning of Africans' presence in England. Kaufmann's research showed that exploitation and discrimination were not their only experiences. Along with writers such as David Olusoga and Paul Gilroy, she brought England to a necessary reckoning with its true history. Institutions like the University of York launched projects investigating medieval multiculturalism alongside her work. The book received nominations as Book of the Year from both the Evening Standard and The Observer.
Since 2014, Kaufmann has been co-convenor at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies. She works together with art and cultural historian Michael Ohajuru on this role. They co-convene the workshop series What's Happening in Black British History? at the institute. The Institute is part of the School of Advanced Study at the University of London. Her position there allows her to lead discussions on Black British history topics. This leadership role connects academic research with public engagement efforts.
Kaufmann has written articles for publications including The Times Literary Supplement and The Guardian. She contributed to features about Black British History on radio, television, and video platforms. Her appearances include Sky News, Al Jazeera, and BBC Television broadcasts. Additionally, she participated in and spoke at many educational institutions internationally. She advised on the Tudor episode of David Olusoga's 2016 BBC Television documentary series Black and British: A Forgotten History. These media engagements helped bring awareness of Black history to wider audiences.
Kaufmann along with Stephen B. Whatley inspired the John Blanke Project. Art and archive initiative founder and director Ohajuru leads the project today. It celebrates and is linked to images of John Blanke, the Black trumpeter to the courts of Henry VII and Henry VIII. The project uses historical imagery to highlight African presence in Tudor England. Kaufmann's support helped turn this into a significant cultural initiative. The work continues to honor forgotten figures from that era through art and archives.
Black Tudors was shortlisted for the 2018 Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize for Global Cultural Understanding. It also received a nomination for the Wolfson History Prize. Kaufmann became an Honorary Fellow of the University of Liverpool after her book's success. She is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and of the Royal Society of Arts. Her next book Heiresses: Marriage, Inheritance and Caribbean Slavery will be published in 2025 by Oneworld Publications. These honors reflect the impact of her research on British historical understanding.
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Common questions
When was Miranda Kaufmann born and where did she grow up?
Miranda Kaufmann was born in 1982 to a Jewish family in London. She grew up surrounded by museums, galleries, and theatres that shaped her early perspective on history.
What doctoral thesis did Miranda Kaufmann complete at Oxford University?
Miranda Kaufmann completed her doctoral thesis entitled Africans in Britain, 1500, 1640 in 2011. This work explored the presence of Africans in England before the era of slavery and challenged existing narratives about when Black people first arrived in the country.
Which book did Miranda Kaufmann publish in 2017 and what recognition did it receive?
Her book Black Tudors: The Untold Story was published in 2017 by Oneworld Publications. The book received nominations as Book of the Year from both the Evening Standard and The Observer and was shortlisted for the 2018 Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize for Global Cultural Understanding.
How does Miranda Kaufmann contribute to public engagement with Black British history since 2014?
Since 2014, Kaufmann has been co-convenor at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies where she works together with art and cultural historian Michael Ohajuru. They co-convene the workshop series What's Happening in Black British History? at the institute which connects academic research with public engagement efforts.
What role did Miranda Kaufmann play in the John Blanke Project and media documentaries?
Kaufmann along with Stephen B. Whatley inspired the John Blanke Project which celebrates images of John Blanke, the Black trumpeter to the courts of Henry VII and Henry VIII. She also advised on the Tudor episode of David Olusoga's 2016 BBC Television documentary series Black and British: A Forgotten History.