Caitlyn Oppong '29: Kwame Nkrumah National Park and Masouleum (6 Points)

                                     Kwame Nkrumah National Park and Masouleum

Traveling to culturally significant locations: 6 points

   

    During my time in Ghana this past January, I visited the Kwame Nkrumah National Park and Mausoleum in Accra, the capital. Dr. Francis Kwame Nkrumah was a Pan-Africanist, Politician, and the first Prime Minister of the first sub-Saharan country to gain independence. Studying in Pennsylvania and London, he gained a foundation in economics, theology, and philosophy. Inspired by politicians and philosophers such as W.E.B. Du Bois (whom he later invited to stay and eventually live in Ghana), Nkrumah understood that African independence from colonial rule was imperative for the continent's progress. In 1957, Nkrumah declared the 1st Ghanaian Republic, effectively declaring Ghana Independent from the British Empire. His initiatives, such as the Union of African States (sometimes dubbed the “Ghana, Guinea, Mali” Union), were guided by his Pan-Africanist views and the idea that Africa should form a united front. As he formed strong partnerships against the Soviet Union, a threat to the British, a plan was devised to overthrow him. With US government backing, a successful coup d’état was staged in 1966. After being forced into exile in Guinea, he passed away in Bucharest, Romania, due to a deadly disease.

    Decades after his death, Nkrumah’s legacy can still be felt in American politics, with the eponymous Zohran Kwame Mamdani taking the helm as Mayor of New York this January. As a young Ghanaian-American, Nkrumah’s words continue to inspire me. He was not only a leader for Ghana but a champion of the African diaspora globally. The Masoleum was an amazing tribute to this inspiring Ghanaian, and I was glad to learn more about his life and legacy through this tour and excursion. I hope one day everyone will soon understand the importance of his words, “Forwards ever, backwards never.”

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