Nana Bonsu: 100 Great Black Britons

Beresford Edwards known to everyone as Nana Bonsu is the founding father of Manchester’s African Caribbean Community. He was born in Guyana in 1930 and moved to the UK in 1960. Inspired by people like Marcus Garvey, he was quick to start helping the community, getting involved in issues like education, better housing and political awareness.

Edwards was the regional secretary for CARD (Campaign Against Racial Discrimination), which played a large role in pushing the government to bring in the 1976 Race Relations Act. He was widely known for winning a legal case during the 1960’s, where he fought his employers at the High Court for his right to work after he was made a victim of closed shop agreements. This unforgettable case, helped to change employment rights, and helped to open up the path for equal opportunity.

He was a firm believer of nurturing the children of the future, and cherishing Africa’s history. He often said:

You can only know where you're going, if you know and respect where you come from.”

Edwards was a leading member of WIOCC (West Indian Organisations Coordinating Committee) which organised a number of youth projects, Saturday schools, training seminars and Culture Week. He was seen as a community leader who helped this country to realise that African and Black people are no less than any other, and was voted as one of the 100 greatest Black Britons.

To celebrate his great work, a special exhibition will take place in Manchester this weekend which will be opened by the Guyanese High Commissioner and the Lord Mayor of Manchester. The project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, will allow 50 young people and volunteers to discover, explore and learn about their history and culture in the UK.

The project will help empower the younger generation and allow them to explore and celebrate the life of Nana Bonsu. Whilst the project creates an archive of Edwards’s achievements, it will also provide training opportunities for those young people involved something Nana Bonsu would be proud to see.

The project will help the public to see the cherished diverse heritage of Manchester, so visit Manchester on June 21st and celebrate the achievements of the acclaimed Nana Bonsu, a man who made history.
For tickets please, click here: Nana Bonsu

Roshni Vekereya