September 2019 Meeting

19th September 2019

Dunfermline Historical Society, 7:30pm

Professor Sir Geoff Palmer, “Scotland and the Slave Trade”

Sir Godfrey Henry Palmer OBE is Professor Emeritus in the School of Life Sciences at Heriot-Watt University and a human rights activist. In his academic career as a botanist, he specialised in grain science and brewing and has been honoured with multiple honorary degrees and scientific awards.

Sir Geoff is also deeply involved in charity work and the promotion of human rights. He has written many newspaper articles on education and race relations and a book on the history of slavery, The Enlightenment Abolished: Citizens of Britishness. He is the Honorary President of the Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council. In 1989, he became the first black professor in Scotland, becoming a professor emeritus after he retired in 2005. He was knighted in the 2014 New Year Honours List.

As usual we meet in the Abbey Church Halls for the first meeting of our new session, and welcome all members, new members and visitors.