AIU RACE Centre archives

Our historical archive is a rich resource for researchers.

The AIU RACE Centre historical archives and library special collections contain material documenting the history of global majority, migrant and refugee communities particularly within Greater Manchester and North West England. Many of these collections have been drawn from community-led projects developed in conjunction with our sister organisation, the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Education Trust, and reflect our collaborative approach to archive collection and curation. We also hold significant national collections, such as papers of the Commission for Racial Equality and the Institute of Race Relations.

Access

Everyone is welcome to consult our archive collections, which can be accessed in the Archives+ Searchroom at Manchester Central Library. 

If you wish to browse or study material from our archives, contact a member of staff at our enquiry desk or email us. Please note we ask for three days' notice to retrieve items from our archives, and it is best to give us as much notice as possible.

For more information about how to access our archives please visit our 'How to use the library' webpage:

• How to use the library

You can also explore some items which have been made available digitally on The University of Manchester Library's Digitised Collections website:

• Visit The University of Manchester Library's Digitised Collections

Catalogued collections

All of our catalogued archive and oral history collections can be searched on our catalogue. 

• Search our collections on Manchester Libraries' catalogue
• Search our collections on University of Manchester Library's Library Search

Find out more about some of our key collections below.

• Biographical collections
• Community organisations
• Social justice movements and legal campaigns
• Community experiences
• National collections
• Research collections
• Project collections
• US civil rights

Find out about the extensive collection of books and resources available in our open access library.

Discover the memories, opinions and unique experiences captured in our oral histories.

Explore our unique library and archive collections.

Find out how to donate material and help us to preserve the history of our diverse communities