Established on 22nd June 1985, the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre for Pan-African Culture in Accra stands as a living memorial to one of the most influential scholars, civil rights pioneers, and Pan-Africanists of the 20th century — Dr. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois.
A serene and inspiring destination nestled in Accra’s Cantonments district, the Centre serves as a hub for cultural research, intellectual exchange, and celebration of African heritage. It honors Du Bois’s decision to spend his final years in Ghana, where he became a citizen and worked passionately on the Encyclopaedia Africana before his passing in 1963.
Named after fellow Pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey, this facility hosts:
Conferences, lectures, seminars, symposia
Film screenings and educational events
Guest accommodation (approx. GHS 140 per night including breakfast — as of Jan 2016)
Ideal for visiting scholars, students, and cultural tourists.
A vibrant space for:
Public lectures
Live music, drama, and cultural performances
Film shows and community events
This amphitheatre offers an immersive experience of African arts and thought.
Explore a compelling collection of artifacts, publications, and photographs that trace the global Pan-African movement and the enduring legacy of Du Bois.
A specialized archive containing:
21 of Du Bois’s own books, including:
The Souls of Black Folk
Black Reconstruction in America
Dark Princess (a novel)
The Suppression of the African Slave Trade (his Harvard PhD thesis, published in 1896)
A wider collection of scholarly texts and Pan-African literature
Preserved as he left it, this room contains:
His academic gowns and honorary hoods
Diplomatic gifts from China, Czechoslovakia, and Harvard University
A tribute to Du Bois’s wife — an accomplished writer and activist:
Includes her personal books, manuscripts, and family photo albums
A rich visual archive featuring:
Portraits of Pan-African leaders, African-American civil rights activists, and African freedom fighters
A curated display of women leaders and intellectual trailblazers
Photo albums and select books available for purchase
At the conclusion of your tour, visit the final resting place of Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois. His mausoleum is a tranquil and symbolic site that also contains the ashes of Shirley Graham Du Bois. This sacred space invites reflection on their enduring impact on global struggles for justice and liberation.
To connect with African and African Diaspora history through the life of a pioneering scholar
To engage with Pan-African ideals and explore the cultural and political currents that shaped modern Africa
To participate in ongoing research, exhibitions, and cultural programs at one of Ghana’s most meaningful heritage sites
📍 Location: 22 First Circular Road, Cantonments, Accra
🕘 Opening Hours:
Monday–Friday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Closed on Sundays
💬 Tours Available: Guided tours are highly recommended for deeper insight into Du Bois’s life and work.
Whether you are a researcher, student, cultural explorer, or simply curious, the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre offers a unique journey into the soul of Pan-Africanism — past, present, and future.
Welcome to a space where history speaks, and heritage lives on.
Secondly, it aims to be a vibrant and dynamic space that promotes the ideals of Pan Africanism by demonstrating their practical applications to contemporary social, political, economic, and cultural conditions. While the Centre stands as a lovely tribute to Dr. DuBois, it must also be expressed through its programs, its expanding collection of relevant works, and its growing influence and engagement within the community, Africa, the diaspora, and the world at large.
Monday
09:00 - 18.00
Tuesday
09:00 - 18.00
Wednesday
09:00 - 18.00
Thursday
09:00 - 18.00
Friday
09:00 - 18.00
Saturday
09:00 - 18.00
Sunday
09:00 - 18.00
1909 - 1947
Key Focus: Foundations, Global Education, and Political Awakening
1909: Born September 21, in Nkroful, Gold Coast (modern-day Ghana)
1935: Moves to the United States to study at Lincoln University and later University of Pennsylvania
1945: Participates in the Fifth Pan-African Congress in Manchester, England, alongside W.E.B. Du Bois and other African liberation leaders
1947: Returns to the Gold Coast; becomes General Secretary of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC)
1947 - 1957
Key Focus: Anti-Colonial Mobilization, Imprisonment, and Independence Victory
1949: Breaks from UGCC to form the Convention People's Party (CPP) with the slogan "Self-Government Now!"
1950: Imprisoned for organizing a nationwide boycott and civil disobedience campaign
1951: Wins a landslide election while still in prison; released and appointed Leader of Government Business
1952: Becomes Prime Minister of the Gold Coast
March 6, 1957: Leads the country to independence — the Gold Coast becomes Ghana, the first sub-Saharan African country to break colonial rule
1957 - 1966
Key Focus: Nation-Building, African Unity, and Socialist Policies
1960: Ghana becomes a Republic, and Nkrumah becomes its first President
1963: Co-founds the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa; becomes a symbol of Pan-Africanism
Builds major infrastructure (e.g., Akosombo Dam), promotes free education, and champions African socialism
Expands ties with Soviet Union, China, and other non-Western allies, adopting a non-aligned foreign policy
1966 - 1972
Key Focus: Coup, Exile, and Enduring Pan-African Legacy
February 24, 1966: While on a peace mission to Vietnam, Nkrumah is overthrown in a coup backed by Western interests
1966–1972: Lives in exile in Guinea, welcomed by President Sékou Touré as co-president
April 27, 1972: Dies in Bucharest, Romania after a short illness; later buried in Ghana
1992: His remains are reinterred at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum in Accra, now a national memorial
Today, he is remembered as a visionary African leader, a Pan-African hero, and a founding father of modern Ghana
Collections: W.E.B. Dubois' personal effects as well as his personal library. Photographs, archives, his academic awards, his tomb as well as the ashes of Mrs. Dubois and the house in which he lived in Ghana before his death.