Chamber Celebrates Greater Manchester’s Black History and Culture

2 years ago

Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce has joined forces with Google Arts & Culture to highlight black history and culture.

The Black and British project records the contribution of inspirational black people in every walk of life from sport and entertainment to politics and science.

Lewis Crowe, Head of Membership & Commercial at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are very proud to be part of this project with Google Arts & Culture. Greater Manchester has been home to a number of black pioneers, including the first black Nobel Prize winner, the world’s first black professional footballer and England’s first black Lord Mayor.

“As well as celebrating these historical figures, we also highlight the black entrepreneurs, musicians and community leaders of today.

“Some of the people we feature, such as Marcus Rashford, will be familiar names, but there are others whose contribution isn’t so well-known and we hope this project will go some way to giving them the wider recognition they deserve.”

Those featured in the Chamber’s contribution to the Black and British project include:

● Sir William Arthur Lewis - the first black person to win a Nobel Prize

● Yomi Mambu - the first black Lord Mayor in England

● Arthur Wharton - the world’s first black professional footballer

● Louise Da Cocodia MBE - the first black senior nursing officer in Manchester

Explore the full Black and British hub on Google Arts & Culture at g.co/blackhistoryuk You can find Manchester’s inspirational figures here under the ‘Spotlight on Manchester’ heading.

About Google Arts & Culture

Google Arts & Culture puts the collections of more than 2,000 museums at your fingertips. It’s an immersive way to explore art, history and the wonders of the world, from Van Gogh’s bedroom paintings to the women’s rights movement and the Taj Mahal. The Google Arts & Culture app is free and available online for iOS and Android. The team has been an innovation partner for cultural institutions since 2011. Google Arts & Culture develops technologies that help preserve and share culture and allow curators to create engaging exhibitions online and offline.

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About Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce

Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce is the largest Chamber of Commerce in the UK, providing business support to approximately 4,500 members who collectively employ 446,000 people, around one-third of Greater Manchester’s workforce. Recognised as a leader in its field, Greater Manchester Chamber’s reputation in government circles has grown locally and nationally. At the heart of the area of greatest economic intensity outside London and the South East, the Chamber is the primary body for business support, policy, representation and networking. The Chamber is an independent, not-for-profit private company and its aim is to support businesses and help create the best climate for the region to prosper. This is achieved by ensuring that those taking decisions on key issues such as transport, taxation and business regulation hear the voice of our members. The representation of our members’ views is central to the work of the policy team at the Chamber; these views are gathered in a range of ways including our local councils, policy committees, sector councils, the main Chamber council, focus groups, meetings with politicians and consultations. The Chamber also offers a range of networking forums across Greater Manchester, free as part of membership, plus a variety of other events and services designed to benefit specific sectors or individuals and help businesses to grow.

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