Ghana has commemorated the 62nd anniversary of Dr W.E.B. DuBois’s death with a solemn ceremony at the W.E.B. DuBois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture in Accra, themed “DuBois Lives On: The Journey Ahead.” The event highlighted the enduring relevance of DuBois’s Pan-African vision in tackling racial inequality and advancing cultural self-determination.
Mr. Yussif Issaka Jajah, Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to preserving DuBois’s legacy, stressing that racial division, which DuBois described as the twentieth century’s primary problem, continues to obstruct justice and representation in today’s globalised world. He reminded the gathering that DuBois, a pioneering sociologist, historian and civil rights activist, spent his final years in Ghana at the invitation of President Kwame Nkrumah, leaving behind an intellectual tradition that empowered Africans and the diaspora against colonialism and inequality.
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Mr. Jajah emphasised that “the resilience of Africa’s creative spirit, the vibrancy of our cultural heritage, and the richness of our shared history are our enduring hope,” adding that unity of purpose would best honour DuBois’s ideals. The ceremony included a wreath-laying ritual joined by diaspora representatives, with the Deputy Minister announcing new initiatives to advance DuBois’s legacy through heritage tourism, cultural diplomacy, and Africa-diaspora collaborations.
The Memorial Centre, DuBois’s final resting place, houses critical Pan-African archives and documents Ghana’s pivotal role in the global Black liberation movement. The occasion drew renowned intellectuals and cultural figures, including Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Dr David Levering Lewis, Nikole Hannah-Jones of The 1619 Project, Dr Jonathan Holloway, Dr Philip Luke Sinitiere, Dr Shawki Kojo Haffar, and Japhet Aryiku of the Du Bois Museum Foundation. Their presence reinforced the continued relevance of DuBois’s scholarship in today’s struggles for equity, identity, and unity among people of African descent.
