News
Remembering Shirley Graham Du Bois: A Woman Who Called Ghana Home
Forty-eight years ago, Shirley Graham Du Bois passed away, leaving a global legacy. Though born in the U.S., she made Ghana her home, becoming a key figure in the country’s cultural, political, and media spaces. Not just the wife of Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, Shirley was an accomplished writer, composer, historian, and civil rights activist in her own right.
In 1961, Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, welcomed the Du Boises to Ghana. At age 93, Dr. Du Bois focused on completing the Encyclopedia Africana, a dream he shared with Nkrumah—to tell African history from an African perspective. Shirley supported the project and immersed herself in Ghana’s intellectual and political life.
After her husband’s death in 1963, Shirley stayed in Ghana, continuing their Pan-African work and strengthening ties between Ghana and the African American community. In 1964, she was appointed Director of Ghana National Television, where she shaped media content to reflect African culture and independence. She helped position Ghana as a leader in Pan-African media, empowered women in journalism, and created space for Black voices in global conversations.
Shirley believed Ghana could serve as a cultural and spiritual home for people of African descent across the globe. Through her media work and connections with the diaspora, she encouraged African Americans to look to Ghana not just as a destination, but as a place of belonging and pride.
She worked with Ghanaian intellectuals and leaders to promote policies that centered African identity and cultural strength. Her leadership style was inclusive and bold, challenging gender norms and advocating for more women to lead in media and politics. At a time when female voices were often silenced, Shirley Graham Du Bois stood tall.
Her efforts in radio, television, and print expanded Ghana’s influence during a key moment in the global Black liberation movement. She ensured that stories of African achievement, resistance, and unity were not just preserved, but shared boldly with the world.
But in 1966, the political shift following the overthrow of Nkrumah forced many, including Shirley, to leave Ghana. Even in exile, she remained a fierce advocate for African unity and cultural preservation, continuing to write, lecture, and speak on global platforms.
Today, as Ghana grows as a center for African American heritage tourism, Shirley’s contributions deserve recognition alongside figures like W.E.B. Du Bois and George Padmore. She helped establish 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 Once Was a Slave—still inspire readers today. On this anniversary, we remember her not just as a wife, but as a remarkable woman who helped shape Ghana’s place in global history.
The W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation is proud to spearhead this commemoration as part of their mission to preserve and elevate Pan-African heritage. They are working to transform the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan African Culture into a world-class museum complex—a vibrant hub for education, tourism, and cultural diplomacy that honors the legacy of both Dr. Du Bois and Shirley Graham Du Bois.
By the W.E.B. Du Bois M
Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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