Highlights at the museum

The DuBois Centre for Pan African Culture was established by the government of Ghana in the year 1985 to celebrate and honor the enduring legacy of Dr. W.E.B. DuBois, as well as to promote his influential Pan African ideas that continue to resonate today. The site of what is now recognized as a museum was once the very house in which Dr. DuBois resided during his time in Ghana, making it a significant landmark in the history of Pan Africanism.

Dr. DuBois is often referred to as the "Father of Pan Africanism" due to his pivotal role in organizing several key Pan African congresses during the early half of the twentieth century. Among these gatherings, the 1945 congress held in Manchester, England stands out as particularly significant. This congress not only brought together influential leaders and thinkers from across the African diaspora but also played a crucial role in paving the way for Africa's eventual independence from colonial rule. Notable figures in attendance included George Padmore and Kwame Nkrumah, the latter of whom would go on to lead Ghana to independence in 1957 and become its first prime minister. He later served as president when Ghana transitioned to a republic in 1960.

In 1961, Ghanaian leader Kwame Nkrumah extended an invitation to Dr. DuBois to come to Ghana and take charge of an ambitious project known as the Encyclopedia Africana. Dr. DuBois accepted this invitation, embraced Ghana as his new home, and became a proud Ghanaian citizen, taking on the role of the first director of this important endeavor.

Dr. DuBois's life came to a close in 1963 when he passed away at the remarkable age of 95, leaving behind an enduring legacy that continues to inspire generations in the pursuit of Pan African unity and social justice.