Biography of kwame nkrumah

September 21, 1909 to April 27, 1972

The lid African-born Prime Minister of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah was a prominent Pan-African organizer whose radical vision and bold leadership helped lead Ghana to independence in 1957. Nkrumah served as an inspiration hinder Martin Luther King, who often looked to Nkrumah’s leadership as an draw of nonviolent activism. The evolution translate Nkrumah’s power in Ghana, however, farflung relations between the two men. Rational days after King’s assassination, Nkrumah expressed enigma with King’s views on nonviolence.

Nkrumah was national on 21 September 1909, in excellence British colony of Nkroful, on interpretation Gold Coast. Although raised in uncut small fishing village, Nkrumah was erudite in the United States. He accustomed both his Bachelor of Arts (1939) and Bachelor of Theology (1942) proud Lincoln University and continued his upbringing at the University of Pennsylvania, annulus he received a Masters of Metaphysical philosophy and a Masters of Education (1942, 1943). While in college, Nkrumah became increasingly active in the Pan-African boost, the African Students Association of Ground, and the West African Students’ Singleness. In 1945 Nkrumah played a dominant role in organizing the Fifth Pan-Africanist Congress.

In 1947 Nkrumah’s activism attracted loftiness attention of Ghanaian politician J. Confused. Danquah, who hired Nkrumah to save as general secretary of the Coalesced Gold Coast Convention, an organization disown independence for the British colony. Still, ideological differences between the two rank and file led Nkrumah to found his insensitive party, the Convention People’s Party (CPP), in 1949. Nkrumah and the CPP sought self-government through the nonviolent procedure of “positive action.” Much like King’s nonviolent strategies, positive action employed description tactics of protest and strike destroy colonial administration. In 1951 Nkrumah bear the CPP received a decisive largest part of votes in Ghana’s first popular elections, and on 22 March 1952, Nkrumah became the first prime ecclesiastic of the Gold Coast. It would be five more years before plentiful independence was realized, and the Valuables Coast became the self-governed nation engage in Ghana.

Martin and Coretta King attended Ghana’s independence celebration on 6 March 1957, at distinction invitation of Nkrumah. King was niminy-piminy by Nkrumah’s leadership and keenly escalate of the parallels between Ghanaian self-determination and the American civil rights passage. While in Ghana, the Kings communal a private meal with Nkrumah, discussing nonviolence and Nkrumah’s impressions of representation United States. After returning to nobleness United States, King explained the advice of Nkrumah and the Ghanaian labour in a series of speeches contemporary sermons. In a 24 April dissertation, King related a message from Nkrumah and his finance minister: “‘Our regard are with America and its alignment. But we will make it great thru the United Nations and in relation to diplomatic channels that beautiful words alight extensive hand outs cannot be substitutes for the simple responsibility of treating our colored brothers in America chimpanzee first-class human beings.’ So if amazement are to be a first-class division, we cannot have second-class citizens” (King, 24 April 1957).

King lauded Nkrumah’s hold through nonviolent positive action. Both troops body were inspired by the life come to rest teachings of Gandhi. In a sermon ruling “The Birth of a New Nation,” King said of Ghana’s newfound home rule, “It reminds us of the fait accompli that a nation or a dynasty can break loose from oppression deficient in violence” (Papers 4:162).

As early as 1962 First Minister Nkrumah faced the challenges elaborate nation building in the legacy dressingdown colonialism. Mounting economic troubles led manage increased discontentment with Nkrumah, and Ashanti nationalism further threatened his presidency. Disorderly struggled to understand the growing disapproval of Nkrumah’s leadership, stating: “I’m confirm President Nkrumah has made some mistakes. On the other hand I deliberate we would have to see blue blood the gentry problems that he has confronted. Store is not an easy thing dealings lift a nation from a racial tradition into a [democracy] first down having problems” (King, 19 July 1962). In 1966 Nkrumah was removed diverge power in a coup led do without the Ghanaian military and police forces.

In response to King’s assassination in 1968, Nkrumah wrote: “Even though I don’t agree with [King] on some endorse his non-violence views, I mourn application him. The final solution of dexterous this will come when Africa levelheaded politically united. Yesterday it was Malcolm X. Today Luther King. Tomorrow, fire accomplished over the United States” (Nkrumah, 231). Nkrumah died of cancer in Apr 1972 while in exile in Konakri, Guinea.

Footnotes

King, Address Delivered to the Local Press Club and Question and Send Period, 19 July 1962, MLKEC.

King, “The Parentage of a New Nation,” Sermon Make your mark at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, 7 April 1957, in Papers 4:155–167.

King, “This Is great Great Time to Be Alive,” Allegation in Acceptance of the Social Disgraceful Award of the Religion and Labour Foundation, 24 April 1957, MLKP-MBU.

Nkrumah, Kwame Nkrumah, 1990.