Black History Month is a chance to celebrate black culture and heritage, while thinking about those in our society who have been marginalised and repressed historically, yet who have enriched and contributed hugely to the world. It also serves as a fresh reminder to take stock of where systemic racism persists and give visibility to the people and organisations creating change.
Manchester has some interesting links to black history and the abolition of slavery which is why you’ll see a statue of Abraham Lincoln in the square across the road from Forward Role HQ in the City Centre. Beneath the bronzed sculpture is a letter to the people of Manchester, commending them for a historic act of solidarity against the slave trade.
As the largest processor of cotton in the world, Manchester took a strong moral and political stance by supporting Lincoln despite his blockade of the Confederate states beginning in April 1861. This drastically reduced supplies of cotton reaching Liverpool and, therefore, the cotton mills of Lancashire, But, in a meeting at the Manchester Free Trade Hall in 1862, despite potential starvation and destitution as the cotton famine began to take hold across the North West, workers agreed to maintain support for Lincoln to help reach the goal of winning the civil war and abolishing slavery. Read more here: Why Manchester has an Abraham Lincoln statue and square (ilovemanchester.com)
Throughout Black History Month, at Forward Role we have been discussing local Black trailblazers and pioneers from the North-West and we wanted to share these brilliant stories as part of this year’s theme of ‘Reclaiming the Narrative’ because there may be some you haven’t heard before!
Len Johnson
Len Johnson grew up in working class Clayton in 1902 – he went from dominating the middleweight boxing division to playing a role in the African independence movements of the forties.
Len was the son of a seaman from Sierra Leone and a brave Irish mum who was at the time attacked in the street because of the marriage, but thankfully young Len experienced little prejudice during his Clayton childhood, he grew up as just another local northern kid. It wasn’t until he became one of Britain’s greatest boxers that Johnson was denied his rightful place in history.
The boxing regulations of the time stipulated that title contenders had to have two white parents. Johnson was a colossus of the sport but prevented from a title shot by the ‘Colour Bar.’ (Racial segregation in the United Kingdom - Wikipedia) It's hard to imagine now, the British boxing landscape existing without our great black champions. From the likes of Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua, back through Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank, Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno, boxing’s now a thriving part of UK black sporting history.
After WWII, Johnson became a prominent local left-wing and anti-racist activist. A friend of the great American campaigner and actor Paul Robeson, Johnson attended the 5th Pan African Congress in Manchester in 1945. It was attended by the great civil rights writer WEB DuBois, journalist Amy Garvey (the widow of influential activist Marcus Garvey) and the intellectuals and independence activists who would become the iconic first generation of African leaders, like Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana.
Despite his talent and standing in the community, Len Johnson was an unassuming man who worked for many years as a local bus driver, and many may not have known that Len was a true pioneer.
Lubaina Himid
Lubaina Himid was born in Tanzania in 1954, and moved to Britain with her mother, a textile designer, following the death of her father when she was just four months old. Lubaina is a prominent British artist and curator. She lives in Preston and works as a professor of Contemporary Art at the University of Central Lancashire.
Lubaina was one of the first artists involved in the UK's Black Art movement in the 1980s and she continues to create activist art which is shown in galleries in Britain and worldwide. Her work focusses on black creativity, history and identity and represents the Africans who were brought to Europe as slaves. ‘There are drummers, dog trainers, dancers, potters, cobblers, gardeners and players of the viola da gamba, all decked out in vivid versions of 17th century costume. Labels on their backs identify each individual, giving both their original African names and occupations as well those imposed by their new European owners, and these poignant texts also form part of an evocative soundtrack, interspersed with snatches of Cuban, Irish, Jewish and African music.' (Trio of UK shows shines light on under-appreciated hero of black British art – Telegraph – Lubaina Himid )
Lubaina was appointed MBE in June 2010 "for services to Black Women's Art. In 2017, she won the prestigious Turner Prize, creating history by being the oldest winner- 63 at the time – and the first black winner. She was then promoted to CBE in the Queens Birthday honours 2018 for her services to Art and also elected as a Royal Academician.
Explore Lubaina Himid’s work: (20+) Video | Facebook
Sir W. Arthur Lewis
Sir W. Arthur Lewis was a Nobel prizewinner and Ivy League professor who had the ear of world leaders. He also did a lot for Moss Side and Hulme. At just 33 he became Britain’s first black professor, coming to work at Manchester University in 1948.
He was determined that the new post-war Afro-Caribbean arrivals in Moss Side and Hulme should have places to socialise, learn and train in prejudiced times - one of the centres he established remains today - The West Indian Sports and Social Centre at Westwood Street.
Sir W.Arthur Lewis was a close friend of late Labour Party leader Hugh Gaitskell, Lewis, whose roots were in St Lucia, lived in Manchester until 1957. He was an expert in developing economies, in his career he predicted the path of China’s development, warned of the cost of racism and exploiting the poor, and was an advisor to governments across the world.
Knighted in 1963, he had a stellar academic career, including decades teaching at Princeton, capped by the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1979. Manchester University’s Arthur Lewis building commemorates him.
(Len Johnson, Lubaina Himid & Sir W.Arthur Lewis)
These are just some examples of many stories of resilience, creativity, and defiance against the odds. Black History Month 2024 challenges us to reclaim these stories, bringing forward the voices and visions that have shaped our past and continue to inspire our future.
Throughout this month, at Forward Role, we’ve really enjoyed sharing and delving deeper into the stories of these North West trailblazers, the impact they’ve had on our local communities and the wider contributions they’ve made to shaping our society and culture.
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