Forty-eight years in the past, Shirley Graham Du Bois handed away, leaving a worldwide legacy. Although born within the U.S., she made Ghana her house, changing into a key determine within the nation’s cultural, political, and media areas. Not simply the spouse of Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, Shirley was an achieved author, composer, historian, and civil rights activist in her personal proper.
In 1961, Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, welcomed the Du Boises to Ghana. At age 93, Dr. Du Bois centered on finishing the Encyclopedia Africana, a dream he shared with Nkrumah—to inform African historical past from an African perspective. Shirley supported the undertaking and immersed herself in Ghana’s mental and political life.
After her husband’s demise in 1963, Shirley stayed in Ghana, persevering with their Pan-African work and strengthening ties between Ghana and the African American neighborhood. In 1964, she was appointed Director of Ghana Nationwide Tv, the place she formed media content material to mirror African tradition and independence. She helped place Ghana as a frontrunner in Pan-African media, empowered ladies in journalism, and created house for Black voices in international conversations.
Shirley believed Ghana may function a cultural and non secular house for folks of African descent throughout the globe. By way of her media work and connections with the diaspora, she inspired African People to look to Ghana not simply as a vacation spot, however as a spot of belonging and satisfaction.
She labored with Ghanaian intellectuals and leaders to advertise insurance policies that centered African id and cultural power. Her management fashion was inclusive and daring, difficult gender norms and advocating for extra ladies to guide in media and politics. At a time when feminine voices had been typically silenced, Shirley Graham Du Bois stood tall.
Her efforts in radio, tv, and print expanded Ghana’s affect throughout a key second within the international Black liberation motion. She ensured that tales of African achievement, resistance, and unity weren’t simply preserved, however shared boldly with the world.
However in 1966, the political shift following the overthrow of Nkrumah pressured many, together with Shirley, to go away Ghana. Even in exile, she remained a fierce advocate for African unity and cultural preservation, persevering with to jot down, lecture, and communicate on international platforms.
Right now, as Ghana grows as a middle for African American heritage tourism, Shirley’s contributions deserve recognition alongside figures like W.E.B. Du Bois and George Padmore. She helped set up Ghana as a beacon of Black excellence and Pan-African thought.
Her books—like Tom-Tom, Dr. George Washington Carver, Scientist, Paul Robeson, Citizen of the World, and There As soon as Was a Slave—nonetheless encourage readers right this moment. On this anniversary, we keep in mind her not simply as a spouse, however as a outstanding girl who helped form Ghana’s place in international historical past.
The W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Basis is proud to spearhead this commemoration as a part of their mission to protect and elevate Pan-African heritage. They’re working to remodel the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan African Tradition right into a world-class museum advanced—a vibrant hub for schooling, tourism, and cultural diplomacy that honors the legacy of each Dr. Du Bois and Shirley Graham Du Bois.
By the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Basis | March 27, 2025
