Howard University Digital Howard @ Howard University Manuscript Division Finding Aids Finding Aids 10-1-2015 NKRUMAH, Kwame MSRC Staff Follow this and additional works at: https://dh.howard.edu/finaid_manu Recommended Citation Staff, MSRC, "NKRUMAH, Kwame" (2015). Manuscript Division Finding Aids. 149. https://dh.howard.edu/finaid_manu/149 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Finding Aids at Digital Howard @ Howard University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Manuscript Division Finding Aids by an authorized administrator of Digital Howard @ Howard University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 1 BIOGRAPHICAL DATA Kwame Nkrumah 1909 September 21 Born to Kobina Nkrumah and Kweku Nyaniba in Nkroful, Gold Coast 1930 Completed four year teachers' course at Achimota College, Accra 1930-1935 Taught at Catholic schools in the Gold Coast 1939 Received B.A. degree in economics and sociology from Lincoln University, Oxford, Pennsylvania. Served as President of the African Students' Association of America and Canada while enrolled 1939-1943 Taught history and African languages at Lincoln University 1942 Received S.T.B. [Bachelor of Theology degree] from Lincoln Theological Seminary 1942 Received M.S. degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania 1943 Received A.M. degree in Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania 1945-1947 Lived in London. Attended London School of Economics for one semester. Became active in pan-Africanist politics 1947 Returned to Gold Coast and became General Secretary of the United Gold Coast Convention 1949 Founded the Convention Peoples' Party (C.P.P.) 2 1949 Publication of What I Mean by Positive Action 1950-1951 Imprisoned on charge of sedition and of fomenting an illegal general strike 1951 February Elected Leader of Government Business of the Gold Coast 1951 Awarded Honorary LL.D. degree from Lincoln University 1952 Designated Prime Minister of the Gold Coast by Governor Sir Charles Arden-Clarke 1957 March 6 Gold Coast gained independence from Great Britain and was renamed Ghana 1957 Publication of Ghana: The Autobiography of Kwame Nkrumah 1957 December Married Fathia Helen Ritzk. Three children- Gorkeh Gamal, Samiah Yabah, and Sekou Ritzk 1958 November Founded, with Sekou Toure, the Ghana-Guinea Union; Mali joined in 1961 1960 April Elected President of the Republic of Ghana; assumed presidency in July 1961 Publication of I Speak of Freedom: A Statement of African Ideology 1962 Publication of Towards Colonial Freedom: Africa in the Struggle against World Imperialism; first printed in 1949 1963 May Foundation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa. Nkrumah was a founder and one its staunchest proponents 1963 Publication of Africa Must Unite 1964 Publication of Consciencism: Philosophy and Ideology for Decolonisation 1965 Publication of Neo-Colonialism: The Last Stage of Imperialism 3 1966 January Inauguration of the Volta River Dam, the main economic achievement of Nkrumah's rule 1966 February 24 Ousted by military coup. National Liberation Council (NLC) established 1966 March 2 Arrived in Conakry. Named Co-President of Guinea 1966 Publication of Challenge of the Congo: A Case Study of Foreign Pressures in an Independent State; Publication of Axioms of Kwame Nkrumah 1967 Publication of Voice from Conakry 1968 Publication of Dark Days in Ghana; Publication of Handbook of Revolutionary Warfare: A Guide to the Armed Phase of the African Revolution; Publication of Freedom Fighters Edition of Axioms of Kwame Nkrumah; Publication of five pamphlets: The Big Lie Ghana: The Way Out Two Myths The Struggle Continues 1970 Publication of Class Struggle in Africa 1971 October Left Guinea for medical treatment in Bucharest, Romania 1972 April 27 Died in Bucharest 1973 Publication of Revolutionary Path 1974 Publication of Rhodesia File Sources: Dabu Gizenga Collection on Kwame Nkrumah, Moorland- Spingarn Research Center, Manuscripts Division, Howard University 4 Kwame Nkrumah Papers, Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Manuscripts Division, Howard University Howell, Thomas A. and Jeffrey P. Rajasooria, eds. Ghana and Nkrumah. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1972. 4 SCOPE NOTE The papers of Kwame Nkrumah (1909-1972), teacher, statesman, and author, span the period from 1955 to 1987. The bulk of the papers covers the period from 1965 to 1974 and the collection totals approximately twenty-six linear feet. While Prime Minister of the Gold Coast, Nkrumah led the successful fight for the colony's independence from the British. From June 1960 until February 1966, he served as President of Ghana, while advocating the cause of a free and unified Africa. After the 1966 Ghanaian coup, Nkrumah settled in Conakry, Guinea, where he continued to promote pan-Africanism and denounce neo-colonialism. This collection primarily documents Nkrumah's activities during his life in Conakry, 1966-1971. June Milne, Nkrumah's literary executrix, donated the collection to MSRC, beginning in 1984. While in Conakry, Nkrumah authorized June Milne, his former research assistant, to establish Panaf Books, Ltd. Panaf published Nkrumah's new books and reprinted the previous ones. Materials related to these publications, organized by title, comprise approximately half of the collection. These materials were acquired in 1986. A large portion of the papers consists of Nkrumah's correspondence. Among his frequent correspondents were writer and widow of W.E.B. DuBois, Shirley Graham DuBois; President of Lincoln University, Marvin Wachman; American civil rights activists, Grace and James Boggs; author Reba Lewis; writer and daughter of Richard Wright, Julia Wright [Herve]; and Jamaican senator Dudley Thompson. While in Guinea, Nkrumah persisted in his 1957 affirmation that the independence of Ghana was meaningless unless linked with the total liberation and eventual unification of Africa. The writings in this collection document his continued belief in this goal. Although physically removed from Ghana, Nkrumah continued to communicate his beliefs through his books and his correspondence. In 1986 Milne was able to retrieve the files and papers from Villa Syli, Nkrumah's residence while in Guinea. Between Nkrumah's 1971 departure from Guinea and 1986, the papers were exposed to some environmental damage. Fortunately, most of the damage is evident only on the edges of the papers. 5 In 1987 Milne donated to MSRC the "Conakry Archive," approximately fifteen feet of material comprising Nkrumah's incoming and outgoing correspondence and cables, and Ghanaian radio reports. Milne used a large number of these documents to compile her 1990 book, Kwame Nkrumah: The Conakry Years: His Life and Letters. Although she referred to them by file number in the book, they have been interfiled with other similar documents within the papers. While Milne contributed materials cited in her book, she retained her notebooks and Nkrumah's handwritten letters to her. Also in 1987, John Marshment, General Manager of Panaf Publications Ltd. and printer of Africa and the World magazine, donated eighteen photographs and a manuscript titled A Call to the Workers of Ghana. Two years later Milne added sixty-two books, files, and Panaf business records. The books have been transferred to the Library Division of MSRC and Howard University Libraries. Some of Milne's personal files are included in this collection. The Panaf records have been separated and will form an independent collection. 6 Series Description Series A Conakry Administrative Papers Box 154-1 Consists of financial documents, lists of names and titles of Nkrumah's entourage, equipment inventories, and travel itineraries. In addition to itineraries of Nkrumah's visitors, are schedules documenting Nkrumah's February-March 1966 journey from Ghana to Guinea. Series B Conakry Correspondence Box 154-1 Spans the period from February 1966, when to 154-10 Nkrumah settled in Conakry, Guinea to October 1971, when he left for Bucharest. Includes incoming and outgoing correspondence, arranged alphabetically. Nkrumah's secretaries wrote most of the outgoing letters. Among the correspondents are autograph seekers, students, scholars, journalists, book publishers, friends, and admirers from around the world. Most letters are in English, but several are in French and one in Arabic. There is little correspondence between Nkrumah and his family. See also Oversize Items, Series K, for a chronological ledger of Nkrumah's outgoing correspondence. Series C Cables Box 154-10 Spans the period from February 1966 to June to 154-13 1972. The cables are divided into incoming and outgoing, and are arranged chronologically. Outgoing cables originated from Nkrumah's post office box in Conakry, "Box 834." Although Nkrumah sent most of these, many visitors also sent messages from the box. Nkrumah often used cables because Series C (con't.) he believed that his post mail was being intercepted. After Nkrumah left Conakry in October 1971, his staff continued to send cables from Box 834. Note that while Nkrumah was in Bucharest, Camara Sana, Nkrumah's Guinean translator, used the code name "Diallo" for 7 Nkrumah. This series contains only photocopies. The originals are fragile, and therefore, restricted. Series D Writings by Nkrumah Box 154-13 Divided into two subseries: Speeches/ to 154-31 statements and writings. Speeches and statements are arranged chronologically and include dedication addresses, messages to the Ghanaian people and Legislative Assembly, and remarks during