Connect with us

Sights and Sounds

7 Historic Ghana Sites Linked to Maya Angelou, Malcolm X, Du Bois and Civil Rights Icons — Still Standing Today

Published

on

Ghana occupies a unique place in global Black history. In the years following independence, the country became a magnet for African-American writers, civil rights leaders and Pan-African thinkers searching for political freedom, cultural belonging and global Black unity.

Figures such as Maya Angelou, Malcolm X, W.E.B. Du Bois and George Padmore lived, worked or passed through Ghana during this defining era.

Here are historic places in Ghana that are still standing today and remain directly connected to that legacy:

1. W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture — Accra

Located in Cantonments, this was the final home of W.E.B. Du Bois, who relocated to Ghana at the invitation of President Kwame Nkrumah and became a Ghanaian citizen. The site includes his mausoleum, a research library, and a museum housing manuscripts and personal effects. It remains one of the most important Pan-African heritage sites on the African continent.

2. George Padmore Research Library on African Affairs — Accra

Named after George Padmore, the Trinidadian Pan-Africanist who worked closely with Kwame Nkrumah, this research library is a major intellectual landmark in Accra. Padmore was instrumental in shaping Ghana’s Pan-African orientation and mentored many global Black leaders. Maya Angelou, Malcolm X and other diaspora intellectuals were active in Ghana, and the library stands today as a living archive of the ideas, debates and movements that defined the era they passed through. It continues to serve scholars, journalists and researchers studying African liberation and diaspora history.

3. Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Memorial Park — Accra

This site honours Ghana’s first president, whose vision transformed Accra into a global Pan-African hub. Nkrumah personally invited Du Bois to Ghana and cultivated close ties with diaspora activists, creating the political environment that drew Angelou, Malcolm X and others to the country.

4. Independence Square (Black Star Square) — Accra

Completed in the early 1960s, this iconic square was the symbolic heart of Ghana’s post-independence identity. It hosted national celebrations and international delegations during the same period that Pan-African thinkers were living and working in the country. The Black Star remains one of the most recognisable symbols of African liberation worldwide.

5. University of Ghana, Legon — Accra

Malcolm X visited Ghana in 1964, engaging with students, academics and political thinkers during his tour of Africa. While there is no single monument marking his presence, the University of Ghana remains an intact and active institution that reflects the intellectual exchange between Ghana and the African diaspora during that era. Maya Angelou lived in Ghana from around 1962 to 1964, moving to Accra after living in Cairo and working at the University of Ghana’s School of Music and Drama (which still stands today), while also writing for local publications like The African Review and The Ghanaian Times. She documented this transformative period in her book, All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes, which details her time as an expatriate and her meeting with Malcolm X during his 1964 visit, before she returned to the U.S. to aid the Civil Rights Movement.

6. National Museum of Ghana — Accra

The National Museum preserves artefacts and exhibitions that contextualize Ghana’s independence, Pan-Africanism and the influx of diaspora intellectuals in the 1960s. It provides historical grounding for understanding why figures like Angelou and Du Bois found Ghana so significant.

7. Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle — Central Region

These UNESCO World Heritage Sites remain among Ghana’s most powerful historical landmarks. While not tied to specific recorded visits by Angelou or Malcolm X, the castles deeply shaped the emotional and intellectual reflections of diaspora figures who grappled with the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade while living in Ghana.

Why These Places Still Matter

For many in the African diaspora today, Ghana represents more than tourism — it represents return, reflection and reconnection. The survival of these sites allows new generations to physically engage with the spaces that shaped Pan-African thought and global Black identity.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sights and Sounds

10 Thrilling Festivals and Events to Supercharge Your December 2025 in Ghana!

Published

on

Image by ASphotofamily on Freepik

If you’re a Diasporan jetting back to the Motherland this December 2025 or a Ghanaian ready to reclaim the festive fire, buckle up.

From heart-pounding concerts under the stars to masquerade parades that blur the line between reality and revelry, these events are your ticket to unforgettable connections, epic nights, and that sweet homecoming high.

Ghana News Global (GNG) has curated 10 can’t-miss highlights (all kicking off from December 7 onward), backed by real sources. Grab your tickets, rally the squad, and let’s make memories that echo into 2026!

1. Detty December: The Epicenter of Ghanaian Joy

Kick off (or dive deeper into) the ultimate holiday takeover with Detty December itself—a whirlwind season of pop-up parties, cultural immersions, and non-stop energy from Accra’s beaches to Kumasi’s hidden gems.

Expect luxury tours blending Black joy, sisterhood, and West African swagger, perfect for Diasporans syncing with locals over jollof and Afrobeat.
Dates: December 1, 2025 – January 1, 2026 (ongoing vibes!)
Location: Nationwide, centered in Accra
Why Thrilling? It’s not just events; it’s a cultural renaissance where you reclaim roots amid fireworks and family reunions.
Link: Explore the full guide and book experiences

2. Afro-Brazil Ghana Festival: Rhythms That Cross Oceans

Feel the fusion frenzy as Brazilian beats collide with Ghanaian highlife in a explosive two-day celebration of shared African heritage. Dance through samba-infused workshops, live performances, and flavor-packed stalls—ideal for Diasporans tracing global Black connections.
Dates: December 12–13, 2025
Location: Gold Coast Restaurant & Cocktail Bar, Accra
Why Thrilling? It’s a passport-free adventure into Afro-diasporic synergy, with surprise collabs that leave you buzzing for days.
Link: Details and tickets here.

3. Medikal’s Beyond Control Concert & Outmosphere Festival: Double-Dose of Street Anthem Fury

Two back-to-back bangers: Medikal unleashes raw rap energy at Beyond Control, followed by Outmosphere’s atmospheric electronic waves. For returnees craving that unfiltered Ghanaian grit, this is your sonic homecoming.
Dates: December 13, 2025
Location: Accra (venues TBA)
Why Thrilling? Expect crowd-surfing chaos, pyrotechnics, and anthems that turn strangers into lifelong hype crews.
Link: Get details here.

4. Kweku Smoke’s Revival: Highlife Revival with a Modern Twist

Witness the resurrection of Ghana’s golden era as Kweku Smoke channels highlife legends into a fiery live set, blending nostalgia with next-gen flows. Locals and returnees unite in a sweat-soaked tribute to resilience.
Dates: December 18, 2025
Location: Accra
Why Thrilling? It’s a time-warp party where elders nod approval and youth lose their minds—pure generational magic.
Link: Click here for more details and tickets.

5. Black Sherif’s Zaama Disco: Afro-Pop Inferno

The Killa himself ignites the night with Zaama Disco, a high-octane disco-Afro fusion extravaganza packed with guest stars and laser-lit euphoria. Diasporans, this is your chance to vibe like you’re in the music video.
Dates: December 21, 2025
Location: Accra
Why Thrilling? Sweat-drenched dances, surprise drops, and that electric “I’m home” rush—non-stop heart-racers.
Link: Get on the events IG page for more details.

6. Small Havana Street Carnival: Caribbean Heat on Oxford Street

Transform Osu into a riot of colors with this daytime-to-nighttime carnival explosion—think jerk chicken feasts, DJ spins, and costumed parades channeling Havana’s sultry soul. Perfect for foodies and party nomads bridging worlds.
Dates: December 22, 2025
Location: Osu Oxford Street, Accra
Why Thrilling? From mellow sunset sips to midnight masquerades, it’s a flavor bomb that awakens every sense.
Link: Akwaaba Detty Guide

7. Bhim Fest: Stonebwoy’s Christmas Eve Domination

Stonebwoy storms the stage for Bhim Fest, a reggae-dancehall juggernaut on Christmas Eve, fusing global sounds with Ghanaian pride. Returnees, feel the bass thump through your veins like a family heartbeat.
Dates: December 24, 2025
Location: Accra
Why Thrilling? Pyros, collabs, and a crowd roar that rivals New Year’s—pure festival fire.
Link: Visit the Bhim Fest website for details.

8. Takoradi Ankos Masquerade Festival: Mystical Street Spectacle

Unleash your inner spirit in this Western Region whirlwind of masked dancers, thunderous drums, and folklore-fueled parades—a raw, ancestral thrill for those seeking deeper cultural dives.
Dates: December 25–26, 2025
Location: Takoradi, Western Region
Why Thrilling? Eerie yet exhilarating, with stilt-walkers and fire dances that blur myth and modernity.
Link: Akwaaba Detty Guide

9. Detty December Concert: Stadium-Shaking Anthems

El Wak Stadium erupts over two nights with Ghana’s hottest acts in a concert blitz that’s equal parts concert and communal catharsis—tailor-made for Diasporan energy reunions.
Dates: December 27–28, 2025
Location: El Wak Stadium, Accra
Why Thrilling? Laser shows, surprise features, and a sea of flags waving in unity—epic scale, intimate feels.
Link: Akwaaba Detty Guide

10. AfroFuture Festival: The Grand Finale Cultural Cosmos

Close out with Africa’s premier culture-music mashup (formerly Afrochella), starring global Afrobeat icons amid art installations, fashion runways, and flavor frontiers. It’s the Diasporan dream realized.
Dates: December 28–29, 2025
Location: Accra
Why Thrilling? A multisensory supernova—think Burna Boy-level surprises, sunset sets, and bonds forged in festival fever.
Link: Akwaaba Detty Guide

There you have it—your blueprint to a Detty December 2025 that’s equal parts heart-pounding and heartwarming. Whether you’re chasing beachside bliss or backstage beats, Ghana’s calling you back with open arms and open bars. Safe travels, and may your vibes be eternally lit!

Image by ASphotofamily on Freepik

Continue Reading

Sights and Sounds

Why Every Conscious Black Person Must Visit Ghana’s Cape Coast Castle

Published

on

Cape Coast Castle is more than a historic landmark on Ghana’s southern coast. It is one of the most important sites of memory for the global Black community.

For many, stepping inside its sunlit courtyards and shadowed dungeons is not just a tour, but a reckoning. That was the experience of Alisha Adjei, a UK-based law student who says her visit to the site fundamentally reshaped how she views slavery, identity, and the responsibility of remembering.

Perched on a bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Coast Castle is visually stunning—its ancient whitewashed walls glowing against the sky, its battlements offering panoramic sea views. But the beauty ends at the threshold of its dungeons, where more than 70,000 enslaved Africans were held each year during the height of the transatlantic slave trade. For visitors like Adjei, that contrast is jarring—and unforgettable.

A local guide welcomed her with a quiet “Akwaaba,” then led her into the underground cells where African men and women were chained in darkness for weeks or months before being forced onto ships bound for the Americas. She described the cold air, the still-present stench of human suffering, and the deep grooves worn into the stone by shackles.

In the women’s dungeon, she learned how sexual violence was a routine part of captivity. In the punishment cell, she saw the iron ring where “rebellious” captives were tortured to death.

And yet above these horrors sat the living quarters of European officers—well-ventilated rooms with polished furniture, sea breezes, and even a private chapel where prayers were sung as people suffered directly below.

For Adjei, the most devastating moment came at the Door of No Return, the narrow wooden exit through which thousands departed their homeland forever—often renamed, dehumanized, and stripped of their identity before stepping into the blinding Pacific light and onto the waiting ships.

“Walking through that door and being able to return is the privilege that my ancestors were denied,” she reflected. “That is why visiting a place like this is both a gift and a responsibility.”

Cape Coast Castle is one of roughly 40 slave forts built along the former Gold Coast. Nearby Elmina Castle, built in 1482, is the oldest. Together, these structures held millions of Africans whose forced labor built wealth across Europe and the Americas. According to the Equal Justice Initiative, nearly 13 million Africans were kidnapped and trafficked between 1501 and 1867.

But Adjei emphasizes that Cape Coast’s story is not only one of pain. Ghana—home to more than 70 ethnic groups and over 80 languages—has a vibrant history that predates colonialism. From the artistry of Kente cloth dating back to the 12th century to the sophisticated political systems of the Ashanti and other kingdoms, West Africa’s cultural legacy is vast and enduring.

What struck her most was how little of this she learned in school.

“Black history was compressed into two weeks of lessons about the Slave Trade Triangle and a few abolitionists,” she said. “Cape Coast Castle taught me more in one day than I had learned in years.”

Cape Coast Castle. Image by World Have Your Say via Flickr

For this reason, she believes the castle is a vital destination for anyone in the Black diaspora seeking a deeper connection to their heritage. It is a place that forces visitors to confront both the brutality and the resilience that shape Black identity today. It challenges educators to teach more than trauma. And it underscores how unresolved injustices—from modern slavery to systemic racism—are rooted in the very history preserved within its walls.

Adjei left Ghana determined to pursue a career in law focused on human rights and curriculum reform.

“This is what Black history is about,” she said. “Its power lies in how it shapes who we are and who we choose to become.”

Cape Coast Castle is not an easy visit. But for many, it is a necessary one.

Continue Reading

Trending