'A sense of freedom': 80 years on from the Pan-African Congress in Manchester

The article discusses the 1945 Manchester Pan-African Congress, a significant event in the history of Black people's organizations in the UK. The congress was organized by Ras Makonnen, a prominent figure in the African diaspora community, and took place at the Chorlton-on-Medlock town hall. The event brought together pan-Africanists from across the world to discuss issues related to colonialism, racism, and social justice.

The article highlights the significance of the congress in several ways:

1. **Pan-Africanism**: The congress marked a significant moment in the development of pan-Africanism, a movement that sought to unite people of African descent worldwide against colonialism and oppression.
2. **Black British history**: The event provides valuable insights into the experiences of Black people in the UK during the post-war period, highlighting the importance of their contributions to society.
3. **Social justice**: The congress addressed pressing issues such as racism, colonialism, and social inequality, demonstrating a commitment to fighting for human rights and social justice.

The article also features quotes from various individuals who attended or were involved in the congress, including Edna, who reflects on her own experiences with pan-Africanism and its significance in promoting self-empowerment and social change.

Overall, the 1945 Manchester Pan-African Congress is an important event in British history that highlights the contributions of Black people to society and their struggles against racism and oppression. The article provides a fascinating glimpse into this significant moment in history, shedding light on the experiences and perspectives of those who attended the congress.
 
I think its really cool how the 1945 Manchester Pan-African Congress brought all these different voices together to talk about the struggles they were facing. Its like, we often forget that even back then there were people organizing and fighting for justice and equality, and it's amazing to see the impact it had on the movement 🀝. I also love how its not just about the events themselves but also about the people who were involved and what their experiences taught them - Edna's story is especially inspiring πŸ™Œ. Its a great reminder that social change often starts with individual actions, but collective movements can lead to real, lasting change πŸ’ͺ.
 
πŸ€” I mean, can you even imagine attending a gathering where some of the most influential voices of the time were gathered to discuss the struggles of Black people worldwide? 🌎 It's crazy to think about how groundbreaking this event was, especially considering the time period. The idea that people from different parts of Africa and the diaspora could come together and demand change is just mind-blowing. πŸ’₯ I love how the article highlights Edna's personal story, it's like you can almost feel her passion and determination for pan-Africanism. And let's not forget about Ras Makonnen, the mastermind behind this whole thing, what a legend! πŸ™Œ The thing is though, while it's amazing to see all these people working together towards a common goal, it's also kinda sad that things didn't change as much as they could have back then. πŸ˜”
 
so its 2025 and we're still reppin pan africanism? idk about that all the hype around it feels kinda played out to me πŸ€” i mean don't get me wrong its cool that edna was at this event back in the day but let's not forget how much time has passed since then. what changed for real? is it still just talking about the same old stuff? πŸ’¬
 
I think it's dope how Ras Makonnen brought all these pan-Africanists together back in 1945 🀝. I mean, it's not always easy to find people who care about the same things and are willing to fight for change, but he did it! And Edna's story is so inspiring - she was literally part of something that helped shape Black British history πŸ’–. It's crazy how some people might say we're not doing enough today, but this event shows us that even in the mid-40s, people were already talking about racism and social justice πŸ•°οΈ. I'm all for learning from the past and using it to create a better future.
 
OMG 🀩 u guys cant even imagine how much i love learning about this kinda history!!! Ras Makonnen was literally a legend πŸ’― his dedication to pan-africanism was insane! and omg Edna's story is so inspiring 😍 she's like the ultimate example of how pan-africanism can lead to real change in ur life. idk what it would be like 2 walk in her shoes back then but i know im proud 2 b part of this community πŸ’ͺ anywayz, let's keep spreadin knowledge & celebrate these unsung heroes πŸŽ‰
 
man, 1945 was such a wild time for black people's orgs in the uk 🀯🌎 i mean, the fact that ras makonnen got all these pan-africanists from around the world to come together like that is just mind-blowing πŸ’₯ it's crazy how they were able to bring so much attention to colonialism and racism back then, especially when you think about the rest of the world was still dealing with all that in 2025 lol 🀣
 
I gotta say, I'm not entirely convinced by the claims about this Pan-African Congress... πŸ€” Where's the evidence? I mean, we've got quotes from Edna, but what makes us think she's an "expert" on the subject? Did she even write a book or something?

And what's with the lack of concrete info on Ras Makonnen? Who was he, exactly? A prominent figure in the African diaspora community? How did he become so influential? Sources, please!

I'm also not buying into the whole "valuable insights" thing. What specific insights are we talking about here? We've got a bunch of quotes from people who were there, but what do they actually reveal about Black British history or social justice?

Not to say I don't think this event was important or anything... πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ But let's get some real facts on the table before we start waxing poetic about its significance!
 
omg u can't believe how much history is hidden behind some cool museums & towns lol like who knew ras makonnen was such a big deal? 🀯 he brought all these amazing people together to talk about colonialism & racism... it's wild how much impact they had on society back then. and now we get to learn from their experiences & perspectives πŸ“š i feel like we're living in the era of 'making up for lost time' with all these renewed conversations about social justice & equality πŸ‘Š but yeah, 1945 was a big deal... let's celebrate the OGs who paved the way for us πŸ’ͺ
 
I just read about the 1945 Manchester Pan-African Congress πŸ€―πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ it's crazy to think that something so historic happened right under our noses! Like, can you imagine being part of a movement that brought together people from all over the world to fight against racism and colonialism? It's mind-blowing to think about how much of an impact this event had on shaping the pan-Africanist movement and Black British history. I love how it highlights the struggles of Black people in the UK during that time, but also their contributions to society. It's a great reminder that everyone has a story worth telling πŸ“šπŸ’‘
 
I'm so down for learning about this 1945 Manchester Pan-African Congress 🀝. I mean, it's crazy to think that Ras Makonnen was like a total trailblazer, organizing this huge event to bring people together against colonialism and racism. And can you believe Edna had those kinds of experiences with pan-Africanism? It's wild how self-empowerment and social change were all tied into this movement. I'm also loving the fact that it gives us a glimpse into what Black British history was like back in the day - all these people fighting for their rights, it's truly inspiring πŸ’ͺ. But at the same time, you have to wonder about the challenges they faced... how did they deal with all those obstacles? πŸ˜”
 
I think it's so cool that they're finally giving some recognition to this historic event πŸ™Œ. I mean, can you imagine being part of something that's basically like a precursor to Black Power and Civil Rights movements? It's wild to think about how Ras Makonnen was ahead of his time, bringing all these people together to talk about the stuff that's still relevant today 🀯. And Edna's story is so inspiring - it's amazing what one person can do when they're passionate about creating change πŸ”₯. I love how this event shows that Black people have been a part of British history for way longer than we think, and their contributions are just as important as anyone else's 🎨. It's time to give these pioneers some more recognition and credit where it's due πŸ’―!
 
I'm not sure why they're making such a big deal about this 70-year-old event... I mean, it's just another bunch of old folks talking about colonialism and racism like it's still relevant today. πŸ€”
But, I guess it's good that someone's finally bringing attention to the history of Black people in the UK. Too often their contributions are glossed over or forgotten. The fact that this congress was a major moment in pan-Africanism is pretty interesting, but let's be real, it's not like anything has changed since then... πŸ‘Ž
The quotes from Edna and others who attended sound all very inspiring and whatnot, but I'm sure most of them are just nostalgic for the "good old days" when things were supposedly easier. πŸ˜’
 
I think it's kinda cool that we're still learning about stuff like the 1945 Manchester Pan-African Congress πŸ€”. It's crazy to think that it's been over 75 years since that event went down, but it's amazing how much impact it had on the Black community in the UK. I mean, it's not just about learning from history, it's also about acknowledging the struggles of people who came before us πŸ’ͺ.

But at the same time, I gotta be real – the fact that we're still fighting against racism and oppression in 2025 is pretty wild 😩. It's like, how did we get to this point where we still need to have these kinds of conversations? πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ Still, it's heartening to see people like Edna sharing their experiences and perspectives, and I think that's really important for creating change πŸ’¬.

Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that the 1945 Manchester Pan-African Congress might seem like a long time ago, but its impact is still felt today πŸ•°οΈ. And who knows – maybe we can learn something from the past that will help us build a better future 🌟.
 
omg I'm so hyped to learn about this!!! 1945 was such an important time for black people's rights & it's amazing to see how this pan-african congress came together to fight against colonialism & racism 🀩🌎 the fact that ras makonnen organized this event is literally a game changer - he was so ahead of his time! and can you even imagine being part of an community where people were already talking about self empowerment & social justice? πŸ’– it's crazy how much impact one congress can have on history! 🀯
 
πŸ“ŠπŸ•’ So I was reading about this 1945 Manchester Pan-African Congress and it's crazy to think that 75 years ago, Black people in the UK were already fighting against racism & colonialism 🌎πŸ’ͺ. Did you know that the event drew around 1,500 attendees from all over the world? 🀯 That's like a modern-day #BlackLivesMatter rally, but back then! πŸ•ŠοΈ

Here are some stats: in 1945, there were only about 600 Black people living in the UK... yet they still managed to organize this massive event πŸ’₯. Fast forward to today, and we're seeing similar movements for social justice, with #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, and #TimesUp becoming household names πŸ“°.

Here's a chart showing the growth of Black British population between 1945-2020: πŸ“ˆ

* 1945: 600
* 1960: 150,000
* 1980: 400,000
* 2000: 1.5 million
* 2020: 3.6 million

It's clear that the struggles of Black people in the UK have been ongoing for decades... but it's also a testament to their resilience & determination 🀝.

Did you know that the average annual attendance at the Manchester Pan-African Congress has increased by 50% over the past decade? πŸ“Š That's like a growth rate of 5% per year! πŸ’Έ

The event is still celebrated today, with the University of Manchester hosting an annual conference on Black British history and culture πŸŽ“. It's essential to keep learning from our past struggles & successes, so we can build a better future for all 🌈.
 
I gotta say, it's crazy how much history is being lost with all these old documents getting digitized 🀯. I mean, the 1945 Manchester Pan-African Congress was a major deal, but you'd think we'd know more about it by now. The fact that Edna's quotes are featured in this article is a great start, but I wish they had more personal stories from people who actually attended the congress πŸ“š. It would give us a better understanding of what it was like to be part of that movement back then.
 
OMG you guys, I just learned about the 1945 Manchester Pan-African Congress 🀯 and I'm like totally fascinated! It's crazy to think that back then, Black people in the UK were already fighting for their rights and social justice 🌎πŸ’ͺ. The fact that they organized this huge event to discuss colonialism and racism is just mind-blowing 🀯.

I love how Edna's story is featured in the article - it's like you can feel her passion and determination 😊. And can we talk about how important pan-Africanism is today? It's still a movement that's all about unity and fighting for human rights 🌟.

What I find really interesting is how this event highlights the contributions of Black people in the UK, but also their struggles against oppression πŸ€”. It's like, we often think about the history of Black people in the UK as just being about immigration or cultural exchange, but it's so much more than that 🌍.

Anyway, I'm totally obsessed with learning more about this event and its impact on history πŸ’₯. Has anyone else heard of the Manchester Pan-African Congress? πŸ€”
 
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