5 Key Black Figures from Greater Manchester
A celebration of 5 prominent black figures who affect our lives through arts, education, law and activism
Salford Quays (21st Century)Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
Influential Figures
Manchester was recently voted as the 3rd best City in the world by Time Out Magazine.
Influential Black individuals have played an integral role in helping shape the landscape of Greater Manchester.
Edward T Nelson (1874 - 1940)
Edward T Nelson, who was born in Guyana, was one of the first black barristers in England. Having studied at St John’s College Oxford, he became a barrister in 1904 and his legal practice was based at King Street in the centre of Manchester. Picture from Tameside MBC.
Famous Trial
In 1909 he played a leading role in one of Greater Manchester's most infamous criminal trials, successfully defending Cornelius Howard against the accusation of murdering George Harry Storrs of Gorse Hall.
Olive Morris (1952 - 1979)
Olive Morris was a community activist in the 1970s. Despite dying aged only 27, she made a great impact on the rights of black women. While at the University of Manchester she co-founded the Manchester Black Women’s Co-operative and the Black Women’s Mutual Aid Group.
Olive Morris (21st Century)Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
Education Campaigner
Olive Morris worked with parents in the black community to campaign for better education provision for their children. She received recognition for her work through the renaming of a council building in Lambeth and the creation of the Olive Morris Memorial Award.
Read another story about Olive Morris Here
Nana Bonsu
Also known as Beresford 'Berry' Edwards, Nana Bonsu is regarded as a founding father of Manchester’s African-Caribbean community. He came to Britain in 1960 and fought to better the lives of those in that community through empowerment, better housing and political awareness.
Fighter for Equality
Nana was Manchester branch chairman of the Pan African Congress Movement and regional secretary for the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination. He is recognised in the list of 100 Great Black Britons. Fellow campaigner Whit Stennett shares his memories.
Sharon Amesu
Born and bred in Manchester, Sharon Amesu is a Leadership Speaker and Executive Coach who has influenced business leaders to lead more effectively, more courageously and, importantly, more inclusively. She empowers people to make a difference.
Sharon Amesu (21st Century)Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
The Movement
Sharon recognised how coaching can impact lives by supporting individuals to be more effective in their areas of life and work. She decided to focus on coaching leaders as "influencing people at higher levels will help the masses."
Sharon Amesu (21st Century)Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
Branch Chair of Greater Manchester Institute of directors
Sharon is the first woman to be Branch Chair of The Greater Manchester Institute of directors. In this position she worked with senior business leaders in the region to explore how to enhance productivity with an emphasis on the individual.
Sharon Amesu 3 (21st Century)Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
Leadership Qualities
From her plethora of experience, Sharon notes the inherent contradiction when it comes to leadership - "The most effective leaders serve others, enablers, draw up the potential of others." Sharon notes that her strongest attributes are resilience and courage.
Lemn Sissay MBE
Lemn Sissay MBE is a world renowned author and broadcaster. He has been BAFTA nominated and is an International Prize writer, who was awarded an MBE for services to literature by The Queen.
Lemn Sissay telling his story (21st Century)Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
Telling his story
Born in Wigan, Greater Manchester to an Ethiopian Mother, Lemn Sissay took stories from his own life to produce some of his most notable work.
lemn sissay - Olympic poet (21st Century)Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
Olympic Poet
In 1995 he made a BBC Documentary called Internal Flight which depicted the early stages of his life. In 2012, he became the official Poet of the London Olympics.
Chancellor
As well as his writing and broadcasting career, Lemn Sissay also serves as Chancellor of the University of Manchester. He is an inspiration to many young people as an established figure who has overcome adversities to thrive in his field.
University of Manchester
Mark John Mcguire
Tameside Local Studies Library
Christine Clough (Tameside Local History Forum)
Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council
Whit Stennett
