Event Recap: An Evening with Sancho... and Me?
In this dynamic presentation, Joseph gave voice to Sancho’s interior life, bringing this important historical figure into view while reflecting on his own upbringing in London and the many ways in which we render life as art. The evening concluded with a thoughtful Q&A session led by Emory College undergraduate students Rudy Chien and Thiên Thanh Nguyễn, followed by a book signing with Joseph himself.
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About the Speaker
Paterson Joseph is a beloved British actor and writer. Recently seen on Vigil, Noughts + Crosses and Boat Story, he has also starred in HBO's The Leftovers and Law & Order UK and he also plays Arthur Slugworth in the Wonka movie. He has won the Royal Society of Literature’s Christopher Bland prize and the Historical Writers’ Association Debut Historical Crown 2023 award.
The Secret Diaries of Ignatius Sancho is his debut novel, and is a story that begins on a slave ship in the Atlantic and ends at the very center of London life. It is a lush and immersive tale of adventure, artistry, romance, and freedom set in eighteenth-century England and based on the true story of the first Black person to vote in Britain, who led the fight to end slavery. Joseph channels the writing style of the day and draws on the real-life Sancho’s diaries to give voice to his interior life.
