"Courage, vision, planning and fearless work": the Congress Lives On.

Monday 3 November, Manchester Central Library 

Join us for a powerful evening of reflection, resistance, and creative expression. 

This event builds on the vital conversation we began last year with journalist and author Gary Younge, who returns to help us reflect on what important Black histories mean today. His address will be followed by a shared discussion on how we honour these histories in a time of rising racism, Islamophobia, and hostility toward migrants and refugees. 

We will also commemorate the Fifth Pan-African Congress, held in Manchester in 1945—a landmark moment in Black internationalist history. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore archival records that bring this legacy to life. Our partners Young Identity will perform spoken word pieces responding to the Congress and its enduring relevance. The event will close with a commissioned poem by Shirley May, written to mark the Congress and celebrate the resilience of Black communities. 

Together, we’ll reflect on the past, confront the present, and imagine a future shaped by solidarity, creativity, and joy. 

3:00pm - 5:00pm Explore our Pan African Congress archive items 

5:00pm Doors open, with food and time to chat 

5:30pm – 7:30pm Main Programme