This October kicked off to a fine start with a glittering evening in the Performance Space at Manchester Central Library celebrating the life and achievements of unsung Manchester boxing champion Len Johnson, part of the exciting array of events which Manchester Libraries have lined up for Black History Month.
In addition to commemorating Len Johnson’s life, the evening highlighted a community campaign by the Len Johnson CIC to raise awareness about this dedicated local activist and erect a statue in his honour in the city of Manchester.
Despite being denied the right to compete for the British title due to a racist policy that required boxers to be born to two white parents, Johnson’s legacy as a fighter for racial equality continued outside of the boxing ring.
Lead campaigner Lamin Touray MC’d a powerful and thought-provoking evening showcasing the life of this local Mancunian hero which featured live music with Yemi Bolatewa and spoken word poetry by local performer Griot Gabriel. Odd Arts presented Knock Out Blow , a play exploring Len’s life and history, using it to counter and challenge present-day racism and xenophobia. The evening also featured a short film and images alongside a panel discussion with campaign leaders and a unique opportunity for a Q&A session with the artist Taslim Martin.
Manchester Archives were extremely pleased to be able to present an exhibition of Len Johnson archive images from our Manchester Local Images Collection which also featured two maquette sculptures on display, giving guests a rare glimpse of the prospective statue of Len Johnson commissioned by renowned sculptor Taslim Martin.
Harry Eyre from the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Education Trust and Race Centre contributed his expert knowledge alongside archive material illustrating Len Johnson’s later political career and his leading involvement with the Pan-African Congress events in Manchester in the years following World War II.
Amongst the invited guests were children, teaching staff and parents from St Mary’s CE Primary School in Moss Side who were able to handle the photographs and archives and learn more about this inspiring but previously hidden figure. The pupils were surprised to discover how hard Len Johnson worked for his boxing titles, winning 93 of nearly 130 fights. Parents said they had no previous knowledge of this revered local hero who achieved so much both for boxing and to break down barriers for black communities in Manchester.
If you’d like to see online archive photographs relating to Len Johnson, check out our new Manchester Local Images Collection:
Home – Local Image Collection (manchester.gov.uk)
If you’d like to discover and attend more of the Manchester Libraries events for Black History Month, you can find out all details here: