Liberation
Liberation by Ntombizodwa Nyoni, published by Bloomsbury Academic on August 16, 2025, is a thought-provoking exploration of activism set against the backdrop of the Fifth Pan-African Congress in Manchester on October 15, 1945. This 120-page work delves into the complexities of liberation as emerging African and Caribbean activists confront the challenges of their time, grappling with personal and collective aspirations for freedom.
Readers will find a rich tapestry of characters, including the idealistic Kwame Nkrumah, the resourceful Alma La Badie, and the revered Amy Ashwood-Garvey, each navigating the intricate dynamics of power, sacrifice, and gender politics. Liberation raises essential questions about the nature of revolution and the responsibilities of activists, making it a significant contribution to the discourse on freedom and identity within the realms of drama and literary criticism. This edition is particularly notable as it coincides with the world premiere produced by Royal Exchange Theatre and Factory International Manchester.
Official synopsis Publisher
To liberate anyone, you must first overthrow
what you fear within yourself, Nkrumah.
(Beat) It was never going to happen over one
week in Manchester. (Beat) It is your life’s
work. (Beat) It is a marathon.
It’s 15 October 1945, Manchester. Africa’s freedom and future is in the hands of her descendants at the Fifth Pan-African Congress at Chorlton-on-Medlock Town Hall. Emerging African & Caribbean activists and scholars offer new radical ideas of liberation. However, the organiser, Trinidadian activist George Padmore is unsure who to pass the baton to. Kwame Nkrumah is fuelled by an idealistic desire to become the first Black president of the Gold Coast. Resourceful Jamaican social worker Alma La Badie is grappling with who must be sacrificed for the cause. And what of the revered Amy Ashwood-Garvey how does she ensure the voices of Black women are heard? With generational shifts and gender politics added to a swirling mix of power dynamics, Liberation asks timeless questions about revolution, freedom, and what it means to be an activist.
This edition of Liberation commissioned by the Royal Exchange Theatre was published to coincide with the world premiere produced by Royal Exchange Theatre and Factory International Manchester in June 2025.
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