LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION celebrating the 100th Birthday of the late Kwame
Nkrumah, and paying tribute to his many contributions to Pan-Africanism
on Monday, September 21, 2009

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to honor those
distinguished individuals whose lifework and civic endeavor served to
enhance the quality of life in their communities; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to celebrate
the 100th Birthday of the late Kwame Nkrumah, and to pay tribute to his
many contributions to Pan-Africanism on Monday, September 21, 2009; and
WHEREAS, In 1909, Kwame Nkrumah was born to Madam Nyaniba in Nkroful,
Gold Coast; he graduated from the prestigious Achimota School in Accra
in 1930, studied at a Roman Catholic Seminary, and taught at a Catholic
school in Axim; in 1935, he left Ghana for the United States, receiving
a BA degree from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1939, where he
pledged the Mu Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and later
received an STB (Bachelor of Sacred Theology) degree in 1942; and
WHEREAS, Kwame Nkrumah earned a Master of Science degree in Education
from the University of Pennsylvania in 1942, and a Master of Arts degree
in Philosophy the following year; while lecturing in political science
at Lincoln University, he was elected president of the African Students
Organization of America and Canada; and
WHEREAS, As an undergraduate at Lincoln University, Kwame Nkrumah
participated in at least one student theater production and published an
essay on European government in Africa in the student newspaper, THE
LINCOLNIAN; during his time in the United States, he preached at black
Presbyterian Churches in Philadelphia and New York City, read books
about politics and divinity, and tutored students in philosophy; and
WHEREAS, Kwame Nkrumah encountered the ideas of Marcus Garvey, and in
1943 met and began a lengthy correspondence with Trinidadian Marxist
C.L.R. James, Russian expatriate Raya Dunayevskaya, and Chinese-American
Grace Lee Boggs, all of whom were members of a US based Trotskyist
intellectual cohort; Kwame Nkrumah later credited James with teaching
him 'how an underground movement worked'; and
WHEREAS, Kwame Nkrumah arrived in London in May of 1945 intending to
study at the LSE; after meeting with George Padmore, he helped organize
the Fifth Pan-African Congress in Manchester, England; he then founded
the West African National Secretariat to work for the decolonization of
Africa; in addition, he served as Vice-President of the West African
Students' Union (WASU); and
WHEREAS, Returning to Ghana in 1947, Kwame Nkrumah became general
secretary of the newly founded United Gold Coast Convention, but split
from it in 1949 to form the Convention People's Party (CPP); and
WHEREAS, After his 'positive action' campaign created disturbances in
1950, Kwame Nkrumah was jailed, but when the CPP swept the 1951
elections, he was freed to form a government, and he led the colony to
independence as Ghana in 1957; and
WHEREAS, Kwame Nkrumah was an influential 20th century advocate of
Pan-Africanism, and the leader of Ghana and its predecessor state, the
Gold Coast, from 1952 to 1966; over his lifetime, he was awarded honor-
ary doctorates by Lincoln University; Moscow State University; Cairo
University in Cairo, Egypt; Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland;
Humboldt University in the former East Berlin; and several other insti-
tutions; and
WHEREAS, Kwame Nkrumah was the motivating force behind the movement
for independence of Ghana, then British West Africa, and its first pres-

ident when it became independent in 1957; his numerous writings address
Africa's political destiny; and
WHEREAS, A firm believer in African liberation, Kwame Nkrumah pursued
a radical Pan-African policy, playing a key role in the formation of the
Organization of African Unity in 1963; as head of government, he was
less successful however, and as time passed he was accused of forming a
dictatorship; and
WHEREAS, In 1964, Kwame Nkrumah formed a one-party state; he was over-
thrown by the military in 1966, with the help of western backing and
spent his last years in exile, dying in Bucharest, Romania, on April 27,
1972; his legacy and dream of a "United States of Africa" still remains
a goal among many; and
WHEREAS, Kwame Nkrumah's distinguished record merits the recognition
and respectful tribute of this Legislative Body; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
celebrate the 100th Birthday of the late Kwame Nkrumah, and to pay trib-
ute to his many contributions to Pan-Africanism on Monday, September 21,
2009.