Timeline

The African Association was formed in London by the West Indian barrister, Henry Sylvester-Williams

The first Pan-African Conference is held in London on 23-25 July 1900 and is organized by the West Indian barrister, Henry Sylvester-Williams. 

The NAACP is the oldest and most widely-recognized grassroots-based civil rights organization. It formed in 1909 in response to the 'continuing horrific practice of lynching and the 1908 race riot in Springfield' (Illinois), and set as its principle objectives 'to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of minority group citizens of United States and eliminate race prejudice'.

In 1914, Marcus Mosiah Garvey sets up the Universal Negro Improvement Association and its coordinating body, the African Communities League.

The first Pan-African Congress is organized to coincide with the Paris Peace Conference that ends the First World War and is intended to influence the political agenda of the peace talks by presenting resolutions to the newly formed League of Nations.

Created by Marcus Garvey in 1914, this first convention saw Garvey outlining his plan to build an African nation-state; an idea that attracted much popular support and resulted in a wide membership.

Sponsored by the NAACP, the second Pan-African Congress was held in three locations - London, Brussels and Paris - and led to the adoption of a number of resolutions that were published in The Crisis magazine.

The third Pan-African Congress was held in November and December 1923, and resulted in the issuing of similar resolutions to the first two conferences, including 'the development of Africa for Africans and not merely for the profit of Europeans', the importance of self-rule and the need to end lynching in the US, among others issues.

The fourth Pan-African Congress came about largely thanks to an organization of Black women entitled the Circle for Peace and Foreign Relations who raised the funds needed to host this event in Harlem.