Explore our extensive archives documenting local Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic community history.
We deliver talks and training at community events, workshops and conferences.
Our library collection has over 14,780
titles, covering topics including culture
and identity, history, politics, and local
studies.
Access excerpts from our collection of recorded life stories
AIU Race Relations Resource Centre and Education Trust
The Resource Centre is free to visit and includes hundreds of books on the history of race, migration and ethnicity. Our archive contains a wide range of documents, leaflets, posters, photographs and ephemera donated by BAME communities across Greater Manchester. The Education Trust offers ongoing training to community groups with an interest in producing archive- quality research materials. We can also help with other aspects of project planning and delivery–from bid writing support to workshops, exhibition space and the long-term preservation of your research.
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss a project idea.
Current Activities
Closure from 17.3.2020
In line with the UK Government’s latest advice on coronavirus and the closure of the University of Manchester, the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre will be closed until further notice. It was decided yesterday (17.3.2020) that the Centre will close so that we can prioritise the safety of our staff, students, and users […]
Women’s Stories in our Archives: IWD 2020
Our archives tell the stories of many strong women. As you may have seen from our posts on Twitter and Instagram (@aiucentre), this year we’ve decided to shine a light on some of these amazing women, their lives, and their achievements. There are many more important women we could share the stories of – this […]
Working to develop diverse archive collections
Earlier in the year we welcomed representatives from the Greater Manchester Archives and Local Studies Partnership (GMALSP) group to Manchester Central Library. In a 2-hour session with staff from the public archives sector, we discussed ways to increase engagement and collecting with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities across the city region, to ensure […]
Pop-Up Exhibition: Mixed-race children of war
Visit our pop-up exhibition, based on Lucy Bland’s book, Britain’s Brown Babies: The stories of children born to black GIs and white women in the Second World War.
21 Years of Activism!
On 9th February 2020 the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre celebrated the 21st anniversary of its launch in 1999.
Reflecting with Anwar Ditta
On 28th January, Jennie Vickers (AIU Education Trust’s Community Engagement Manager) visited Anwar Ditta as part of an ongoing conversation around her archive donation.
Welcome, Maya!
On 6th January, Maya Sharma joined the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre and Education Trust as our new Collections Access Officer. We’re delighted to have Maya in post, and can’t wait to see what wonderful ideas she has in store for us.
New Year, New Archives
Saturday 25th January marks Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival. Manchester will be filled with exciting celebrations, lantern and dragon parades, fireworks and craft workshops – and we have some exciting news of our own!
Introducing our Trainee Library and Archive Assistants
The Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Education Trust has recruited two new Trainee Library and Archive Assistants for our project supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The trainees appointed are Sonbal Khokhar and Kadija Ollow who are keen to pursue a career in the heritage sector.
