Universal Coloured Peoples Association (UCPA)

Founded in June 1967 and led by Obi Egbuna and Roy Sawh, the Universal Coloured People’s Association (UCPA) was Britain’s first Black Power group. 

UCPA held open meetings at Speakers’ Corner that were routinely spied on by Metropolitan Police Special Branch officers. The group quickly splintered. Egbuna left in April 1968 to found the Black Panther Movement and in July 1970 much of the organisation reformed as the Maoist Black Unity and Freedom Party. Although UCPA was a important organisation in emerging Black-led political campaigning, it was not infiltrated by the SDS and there are few documents relating to the group in Inquiry disclosure. 

Sources:

Special Branch Files. Black power – Main Groups. Rosie Wild and Eveline Lubbers, Black Power - Main Groups, Special Branch Files Project, 17 Sep 2019.