A CAMPAIGN in Manchester is calling for the erection of a statue to a black boxer, communist and community activist who became a world figure campaigning against colonialism.

Len Johnson’s work included organising the Fifth Pan-African Congress, which brought together nearly 90 anti-colonialist activists including future political leaders Jomo Kenyatta from Kenya, Nigeria’s Jaja Wachuku and Jamaica’s Dudley Thompson. 

Mr Johnson was born in October 1902 in Clayton in Manchester to a Sierra Leonian sailor and an Irish Mancunian mother.

He and his family suffered racism including violence. In one incident his mother received life-changing injuries.

It was in a fight that he recognised he had boxing skills and went on to a career involving 127 fights — 92 wins, 29 defeats and six draws.

He was stopped from competing for the British middleweight title when the British Boxing Board of Control decided he could not compete because of his skin colour. He retired from boxing in 1933.

Johnson joined the Communist Party of Great Britain while serving in the Civil Defence Corps during the second world war, and stood as a council candidate.

He died in September, 1974, in relative anonymity in this country, but was mourned internationally as a pioneer.

Marcus Barnett is secretary of the Len Johnson Memorial Campaign, which he described as “a small group of community activists and trade unionists.” 

He said: “In 2023, Manchester has more statues dedicated to soft drinks than to its historic black community.

“This is why athletes, community activists and trade unionists have united to change this.

“There are no big bankrollers to this campaign — to honour Len’s memory and preserve his legacy of struggle, we are entirely reliant on generosity from ordinary people and the trades union movement.”

To donate visit the fundraising page on bit.ly/LenJohnson.