CSPS

PAN-AFRICAN FORUM

From the Archive

Rarely seen photographs and historic documents from the Pan-African Forum. A curated look back at the moments, faces, and ideas that shaped our collective journey.

1900

Archive · 1900 The First Pan-African Congress

Westminster Town Hall · London

The First Pan-African Congress

The First Pan-African Congress convened at Westminster Town Hall in London from July 23 to 25, 1900. Organised by Henry Sylvester Williams, it was the first gathering of its kind — bringing together delegates from Africa, the Caribbean, the United States and Europe to discuss the condition of colonised peoples and to demand recognition of African rights on the world stage. It laid the foundation for every Pan-African gathering that followed.

July 23–25, 1900 London, England

Archive · 1900 The First Congress Meets

Founding Moment

The First Congress Meets

A defining image from the first Pan-African Congress, capturing the delegates as they convened to chart a new course for the African diaspora. This moment marked the birth of the organised Pan-African movement — a movement that would grow across continents and generations over the following century.

1900 London, England

1921

Archive · 1921 The Second Pan-African Congress

London · Brussels · Paris

The Second Pan-African Congress

The Second Pan-African Congress met across three European capitals in 1921 — London (28, 29, 31 August), Brussels (2, 3 September) and Paris (5, 6 September). Its multi-city format reflected the Congress's growing international reach, and its resolutions called on the League of Nations to take up the cause of African peoples under colonial rule.

August–September 1921 London, Brussels, Paris

1923

Archive · 1923 The Third Pan-African Congress

London · Lisbon

The Third Pan-African Congress

The Third Pan-African Congress was held in London and Lisbon in November 1923. It drew a diverse attendance, including prominent white European figures such as the writer H.G. Wells — an early sign of cross-racial solidarity around the anti-colonial cause. The Congress reaffirmed the demand for African self-determination and self-government.

November 1923 London & Lisbon

1927

Archive · 1927 The Fourth Pan-African Congress

A Pivotal Gathering

The Fourth Pan-African Congress

The Fourth Pan-African Congress was held in New York City in August 1927. A pivotal gathering, it marked the movement's shift towards the United States and galvanised the emerging generation of African-American and Caribbean political leaders — including figures who would go on to shape the anti-colonial struggle for decades.

August 1927 New York City, USA

1945

Archive · 1945 The Fifth Pan-African Congress

Manchester · The Turning Point

The Fifth Pan-African Congress

The Fifth Pan-African Congress convened in Manchester from 15 to 21 October 1945 — the largest and most politically charged of all the congresses. Attended by future leaders of independent African nations including Kwame Nkrumah and Jomo Kenyatta, it decisively shifted the movement from petition to action, calling for the immediate end of colonial rule and full independence for African nations.

October 15–21, 1945 Manchester, England

Archive · 1945 The Fifth Pan-African Congress — Delegates

Manchester · Delegates

The Fifth Pan-African Congress — Delegates

Delegates of the Fifth Pan-African Congress, photographed in Manchester in October 1945. Among those present were the young leaders who would go on to lead their nations to independence — a generation shaped by this meeting and by the conviction that Africa's future belonged to Africans.

October 1945 Manchester, England

Historical Documents

Rare papers and commemorative publications preserved from the Pan-African archive

Archive Document

Célébration du Centenaire de la Naissance de Cheikh Anta Diop & du Cinquantenaire du Colloque du Caire

PDF

Centenary · Cairo Colloquium

Célébration du Centenaire de la Naissance de Cheikh Anta Diop & du Cinquantenaire du Colloque du Caire

Commemorating the life and legacy of Cheikh Anta Diop — a towering Pan-African scholar whose work redefined the study of African history, civilisation, and identity. This document captures a key moment from the Cairo Colloquium commemorations, bringing together scholars, historians, and cultural leaders from across the continent.

Centenary Anniversary Cairo

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Archive Document

Celebration of the Centenary of the Birth of Cheikh Anta Diop and the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Cairo Colloquium

PDF

50th Anniversary · Cairo

Celebration of the Centenary of the Birth of Cheikh Anta Diop and the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Cairo Colloquium

A milestone gathering marking half a century since the landmark Cairo Colloquium — the meeting that placed Africa at the centre of its own history. This document preserves the spirit of that meeting and its enduring influence on Pan-African scholarship.

50th Anniversary Cairo