Obituary: Dr Ray Costello
Words by Dr Richard Benjamin: Dr Ray Costello, Liverpool-born historian, author, and educator, passed away on June 14 2025. He left a lasting impact on everyone who met him and had the pleasure of working alongside him. Ray was known for his friendly, welcoming demeanour and his passion for learning and sharing knowledge—a hallmark of all great scholars.
I write these words not only as someone who collaborated with Ray on the content of the International Slavery Museum, which opened in 2007 (Ray conceived the Black Achievers Wall), but also as the Co-Director of the Centre for the Study of International Slavery, where Ray served as a valued Board member for many years. I also owe a personal debt of gratitude to Ray for his early support during my time as a PhD student in Archaeology. He generously shared his considerable knowledge with an eager, inexperienced student looking to deepen their understanding of Liverpool’s Black history.
Ray authored numerous influential works, including Black Liverpool: The Early History of Britain’s Oldest Black Community 1730-1918 (2001), Black Salt: Seafarers of African Descent on British Ships (2012), and Black Tommies: British Soldiers of African Descent in the First World War (2015). All contributed to our understanding of the role of Black people both in Liverpool and Britain throughout history.
There is a wealth of community knowledge and history, often overlooked, right on the doorstep of our university. It is through respected members of that community like Ray, who often act as a bridge. His enthusiasm for collaboration with the university and colleagues across departments was invaluable. Here are some reflections from staff who worked with Ray over the years:
He was generous with his knowledge, which was encyclopaedic, and gentle in sharing advice when it was needed. I learned so much from Ray and feel privileged to have worked with him. He wrote a fascinating book called Liverpool Black Pioneers. We should very much consider him to be part of that important tradition, a pioneer in his own right. He will be greatly missed, but leaves a remarkable legacy of challenging racism and encouraging us to write history and understand society in much more inclusive ways.
- Professor Charles Forsdick, Drapers Professor of French at the University of Cambridge.
Everyone at Liverpool University Press is truly saddened to hear about the passing of Ray Costello, a brilliant author who was a joy to work with, who treated everyone with kindness and respect, and who lit up the room with his positive energy. On a personal level, he was a kind and gentle person, and I will genuinely miss our conversations, his enlightening stories, and his wonderful humour.
- Alison Welsby, Editorial Director, University of Liverpool Press.
I remember Ray as a learned, actively engaged, and passionate stalwart of the CSIS seminar series, whose thoughtful and informed comments and questions always deepened and enriched the discussions. Ray’s published work is of course an essential foundation and source of reference for anyone working on the history of the Black experience in Liverpool.
- Dr Stephen Kenny, Senior Lecturer in 19th and 20th Century North American History.
Ray’s work in the field of Black history, has repositioned the importance of Black people to significant aspects of mainstream British history that was previously left out. The contributions made by those who were previously hidden, now rightly take centre stage through the detailed and painstaking research that went into ‘Black Salt’ and ‘Black Tommies’. He has left an important legacy for future generations of students and scholars. More significantly, Ray has bequeathed a legacy to his community, one they can feel proud of. On a more personal note, Ray became a good friend, which meant it was easy to enter work collaborations. I was able to support Ray’s Honorary Research Fellowship in my department (Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology) that he held for many years. Ray was a warm, generous spirited and cheerful soul, and I’ll miss him dearly.
- Dr Diane Frost, Senior Lecturer, Sociology.
In 2023, Ray was featured in The Descendants - Portraits by Ean Flanders at the Victoria Gallery & Museum. In 2024, he curated an exhibition on Britain's Black soldiers, which opened at Crawford House in Liverpool 8, with the support of his good friend and CEO, Chief Angus Chukuemeka. Ray led an impressive private tour of the exhibition for a large group, including Professor Alison Fell, Dean of the School of Histories, Languages and Cultures, and visiting members of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. His enthusiasm for the subject and his ability to share his knowledge were evident throughout the tour. He will be greatly missed by friends, family, and scholars alike.
Dr Richard Benjamin is a Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Museum Practice and Co-Director of the Centre for the Study of International Slavery.