|Born||September 21, 1909
Nkroful, Gold Coast
|Died||April 27, 1972
|Other names||Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah|
|
|Born||September 21, 1909
Nkroful, Gold Coast
|Died||April 27, 1972
|Other names||Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah|
|Known for||Head of state of Ghana, philosopher|
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah (born Francis Nwia-Kofi Ngonloma, September 21, 1909 – April 27, 1972) was an African political leader. He was well known as the first Prime Minister, then President, of Ghana. He imagined a united Africa. On March 6, 1957, after ten years of campaigning for Ghanaian independence, Nkrumah was elected President and Ghana gained independence from British rule.
Early life and activism[change | change source]
Nkrumah was born Francis Nwia-Kofi Ngonloma in Nkroful, a town in Gold Coast (the British colony that was to become Ghana) to Kofi Ngonloma, a goldsmith, and Elizabeth Nyaniba, a salesperson, who he saw as a great inspiration.
Education[change | change source]
He attended Elementary School at Half Assini where his father worked as a goldsmith. A German priest called George Fischer influenced his education. He went to a school for teachers in Accra, then became a teacher himself. In 1935 he went to Lincoln University in the United States. He learned more about Communism. His education continued at the University of Pennsylvania, from 1939 to 1943. Next he went to London and organized an international conference for African freedom. He also changed his name to "Kwame".
President of Ghana[change | change source]
Nkrumah returned to the Gold Coast and founded the Convention People's Party. He was elected Prime Minister. When Ghana became independent from England, Nkrumah was its first president. He created the flag of Ghana. He required all children to attend school. More women attended school and took jobs. For electricity, Nkrumah ordered the building of a hydroelectric dam and a nuclear power plant.
The military and police forced Nkrumah from power on February 24, 1966. He lived for the rest of his life in Guinea.
Timeline[change | change source]
- 1930: Obtained Teacher's Certificate from the Prince of Wales’ College at Achimota (Formerly Government Training College, Accra)
- 1931: Teacher, Roman Catholic School, Elmina (Central Region) and later, Head teacher, Roman Catholic junior School Axim (Western Region)
- 1932: Teacher, Roman Catholic Seminary, Amisano (Central Region)
- 1935: Entered Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, USA.
- 1939: Earned a BA (Lincoln University), USA
- 1942: Earned a BA (Theology), Lincoln University, USA
- 1943: M.Sc. Education, MA Philosophy, and completed course work / preliminary examination for a Ph. D. degree at the University of Pennsylvania, USA
- 1939 - 1945: Combined studies with part-time lectureship in Negro History. (During this period, he helped to found the African Studies Association and the African Students Association of America and Canada.)
- 1945: Voted "Most Outstanding Professor-Of-The-Year by "The Lincolnian"
- 1945 (May): Arrived in London with the aim of studying Law and completing thesis for a Doctorate but met George Padmore. The two as Co-Political Secretaries helped to organize the Sixth Pan-African Congress in Manchester, England. After the Congress, Nkrumah continued work for de-colonization of Africa and became Vice-President of West African Students Union. He was also leader of "The Circle", the secret organization dedicated to the unity and independence of West Africa, in its struggle to create and maintain a Union of African Socialist Republics
- 1947: Wrote his first book, "Towards Colonial Freedom"
- 1947: (December): Returned to Gold Coast and became General Secretary of United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC)
- 1948: Detained with Executive Members of UGCC known later as the "Big Six" following disturbances in the colony.
- 1948: (September): Established the "Accra Evening News which appeared on the news-stands the same day that he was dismissed as General Secretary of UGCC.
- 1949 (June): Formed Convention Peoples Party (CPP) with the Committee on Youth Organization (CYO).
- 1949 (December): Declared Positive Action to demand Independence.
- 1950 (January): Arrested, following riots resulting from declaration of Positive Action
- 1951 (February): Won the election while in prison with a vote of 22,780 from the 23,122 ballots cast, to take the Accra Central seat. He was released later from prison in the same month to form new Government.
- 1956: Won the elections leading to independence.
- 1957: (6 March): Declared Ghana's Independence
- 1958 (April): Convened Conf