National background

Ghana

1 person

People

Kwame Nkrumah

Kwame Nkrumah
Socialist-bloc leader Ghana Ghana 1909–1972 ○ Died of illness in exile

Architect of Pan-African Marxism who led sub-Saharan Africa's first independence

“We must unite now or perish.” — address to the Conference of African Heads of State, Addis Ababa, 1963

Ghana's independence leader, first prime minister and president. He secured sub-Saharan Africa's first independence in 1957. Through Nkrumaism, synthesizing scientific socialism with African tradition, he forged the intellectual foundation of the pan-African liberation movement.

Career timeline
  • 1935–1945Studies in America — degrees in economics, theology, philosophy and education from Lincoln and Penn
  • 1945Co-organizes the Fifth Pan-African Congress in Manchester
  • 1947Returns to the Gold Coast as General Secretary of the UGCC
  • 1949Founds the Convention People's Party; launches Positive Action campaign
  • 1952–1957Prime Minister of the Gold Coast — negotiates independence
  • 1957Ghana wins independence — sub-Saharan Africa's first; becomes first Prime Minister
  • 1960–1966First President of Ghana — socialist construction and Pan-African diplomacy
  • 1963Co-founds the Organization of African Unity
  • 1962Awarded the Lenin Peace Prize
  • 1965Publishes Neo-Colonialism: The Last Stage of Imperialism
  • 1966.2Deposed by military coup while visiting Beijing
  • 1966–1972Exile in Guinea — honorary co-president; continues theoretical writing