I was very interested to read Hilary Jones's report of the Michigan
State Symposium, Comparative History of Black People in Diaspora'
as it raised many issues of particular importance to people
here in Britain and elsewhere.
Like Harold Marcus, I was somewhat surprised not to see some
reference to Pan-Africanism which, I can assure him, is far from
dead. One of many signs of its continued relevance is the Conference
being organised to mark the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Pan-African
Congress held in Manchester in 1945. As you will see from the
following information, an international conference will be part of a
wider celebration of that important event.
We would greatly appreciate your helping us to publicise this event
and, if possible, your participation in it. Let me know if there is
any further information you would like to have.
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Africa in the World;
The 1945 Pan-African Congress and its Aftermath
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The Manchester Civic Celebration
October 13th to 15th, 1995
The Fifth Pan-African Congress, held in Manchester in 1945, now
belongs to world history. Dubois, Padmore, Appiah, Nkrumah, Kenyatta
- all were outstanding delegates. Seen in retrospect, the Pan-
African Congress has won the reputation of a pace-maker for
decolonization in Africa and in the British West Indies. It marked a
significant advance in the participation of workers in the Pan
African cause. It demanded an end to colonial rule and an end to
racial discrimination, while it carried forward the broad struggle
against imperialism, for human rights and equality of economic
opportunity. The Pan-African Congress manifesto itself positioned
the political and economic demands of the Congress within a new world
context of international co-operation, arising from `the grim ordeal
of the war of liberation against Fascism'.
The fiftieth anniversary, coming in October 1995, calls for a major
civic celebration at Manchester. This celebration is to commemorate
the global importance of the Fifth Pan-African Congress. It is also
to recognise what has too long been ignored - the contribution made
by the people and the city of Manchester, most prominently by the
city's people of African and Afro-Caribbean origins.
Plans for this civic celebration promise a great variety of public
events. Some will be part of a conference including keynote
addresses, workshops and public debates at Manchester Town Hall.
Others, will take place at the city's universities, colleges and
museums, include exhibitions, a research project of archival and oral
history, and a wide range of community-based activities. Still
others will be artistic events performed at leisure and cultural
centres. All, taken as a whole, will illuminate the visions and the
realities of Pan-Africanism in the present, no less than in the past.
An effort will be made to strike a balance, representing artistic,
popular and intellectual movements, both in the continent and also
across the far flung African diaspora in the wider world.
At the heart of the conference titled, Pan-African Directions, will
be sessions with papers distributed in advance. Some will recall the
themes of the Fifth Congress sessions, which were: `The Colour
Problem in Britain'; `Imperialism in North and West Africa';
`Oppression in South Africa'; `Ethiopia and the Black Republics';
`The Problem in the Caribbean'; `Women in the West Indies'.
These issues are still with us. Conscious of that, we plan sessions
on: The Diaspora, Pan-Africanism and Liberation Movements, Racism
and Black People in Britain, Women in the Struggle, Trade Unions, and
Pan-Africanism approaching the Twenty-First Century. This is not
intended to be merely an academic meeting, but rather to involve as
wide a range of people as possible. Less formal sessions will debate
many of the same themes in workshops centered on panel discussions,
but without formal papers. Our overall concern is to understand the
past, reflect on the present, and consider the future of Pan-
Africanism.
For further information, contact:
Simon Katzenellenbogen
Department of History Tel: 44 (0)161-275-3112
University of Manchester Fax: 44 (0)161-275-3098
Oxford Road e-mail: simonk@man.ac.uk
Manchester, M13 9PL
United Kingdom