Stephen Lawrence was an 18-year-old Black British student who was waiting for a bus in Well Hall, Eltham, when he was attacked on the night of April 22, 1993. The assailants, a group of white youths, shouted racist slurs before stabbing him multiple times. Despite the immediate assistance from passersby, Stephen succumbed to his injuries later that evening. His murder was not just a violent crime; it laid bare the systemic racism and failures within the British police and judicial system. Despite witnesses identifying the suspects, individuals were not convicted until years later, leading to public outcry and demands for accountability. The case drew significant media attention, highlighting racial tensions in Britain during the 1990s.

In the wake of Stephen's death, his parents, Doreen and Neville Lawrence, became prominent figures in the fight against racial violence and discrimination. Their persistent efforts to seek justice led to a public inquiry, which revealed deeply embedded issues in how the police handled cases of racially motivated crimes. The inquiry concluded that the investigation into Stephen's murder was marred by incompetence and a lack of cultural sensitivity. This prompted significant reforms in policing, including the establishment of the Macpherson Report, which called for the police to adopt a new approach to tackling racism within their ranks.