Obama cites Manchester cotton workers as inspiration at Manchester event

Barack Obama described Manchester cotton workers who stood in solidarity with enslaved African Americans during the American Civil War as an inspiration during a live appearance in Manchester. The Guardian

The event, An Evening With Barack Obama, was held at Co-op Live in Manchester on Thursday. Obama was interviewed on stage by writer and broadcaster Afua Hirsch. The Guardian

Approximately 23,000 people attended the appearance at Co-op Live. TheBusinessDesk

The programme lasted 90 minutes. It closed with Obama discussing the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago and his foundation's work. The Guardian

During the conversation, Obama referred to an 1862 meeting of cotton workers at the Free Trade Hall, their letter to Abraham Lincoln and Lincoln's reply to them. The Guardian

The Manchester cotton workers had refused to handle slave-picked cotton during the American Civil War. BBC

The appearance was part of Black History Month celebrations. The Guardian