It has been 50 years since the death of W.E.B. Du Bois. On 6 March, it will also mark 170 years since the ‘Bond of 1844’ was signed by the Fante chiefs.

Since June 2013, these two historical events have inspired a group of artists to explore the legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois—the Pan-Africanist, civil rights leader, writer, poet, and thinker. The artists have been searching and examining in a broad context what Du Bois stood for and how his ideals resonate in our present time.

The signing of the Bond of 1844 eventually evolved into a colonial relationship between the Gold Coast and Great Britain. During Ghana’s fight for independence, Kwame Nkrumah met W.E.B. Du Bois, who later moved to the Gold Coast and worked with Nkrumah until his death in Ghana in 1963. Du Bois played a significant role in shaping Nkrumah’s vision for the liberation of the African continent and for Ghana.

These two events are both significant and relevant, especially when reviewed in the context of the 57th anniversary of Ghana’s independence.

The project, Du Bois in Our Time, began at the University of Amherst, Massachusetts, USA—home to a vast collection of memorabilia, archives, and writings by W.E.B. Du Bois—and continued in Accra, his final resting place.

Artists spent time at the Du Bois Centre, immersed in the ‘spirit’ of Du Bois—his library, rooms, and personal spaces. During this time, they also interacted with scholars, staff at the Du Bois Centre, and Pan-Africanist clubs, enriching their understanding of his work and influence.

UK-based artist Mary Evans has delved into these memories to create a site-specific work using paper cuttings, plates, and silhouettes to immerse, captivate, and energize the viewer with the spirit of Kwame Nkrumah, Shirley Graham, and W.E.B. Du Bois during the Pan-Africanist struggles.

Instagram –– LinkedIn –– Facebook –– Twitter
Nubuke Foundation, Accra 2024