Events

The Second Congress of Black Writers and Artists took place in Rome in March-April 1959. It was organized by the journal and publisher Présence Africaine and the Societé Africaine de Culture, in collaboration with the Istituto Italiano per l’Africa. The Congress was an unprecedented event in Italy, which gathered more than one hundred delegates from Africa, Americas, and Europe, including some of the most prominent intellectuals of the time. The event revolved around the crucial and problematic question of the unity of Black Africa (and beyond). It drew on and contributed to a network of transnational collaborations, between a variety of cultural and political institutions but also affective communities. For this reason, the Congress, as a key moment in the articulation of Black cultures and politics in and beyond Europe but also as an example of transnational exchanges in post-war Italy, merits urgent critical scrutiny.

This workshop aims to bring together the community of scholars, archivists, curators, and artists who are currently working on the Congress, approaching it from different angles. It will be an occasion to create a network, share first findings, discuss approaches and challenges, acknowledge the importance of the event in its 65th anniversary and prepare the ground for larger initiatives to mark its 70th anniversary in 2029.

More information: https://www.knir.it/en/evenementen/workshop-the-second-congress-of-black-writers-and-artists-65-years-later/