"In Ghana, or in all of black Africa, my highest single honor was an audience at the
Castle with Osagyefo Dr.
Kwame Nkrumah.
Before seeing him, I was searched most thoroughly. I respected the type of security the Ghanaians erect around their leader. It gave me that much more respect for independent black men. Then, as I entered Dr. Nkrumah’s long office, he came out from behind his desk at the far end. Dr. Nkrumah wore ordinary dress, his hand was extended and a smile was on his sensitive face. I pumped his hand. We sat on a couch and talked. I knew that he was particularly well-informed on the Afro-American’s plight, as for years he had lived and studied in America. We discussed the unity of Africans and peoples of African descent. We agreed that Pan-Africanism was the key also to the problems of those of African heritage. I could feel the warm, likeable and very down-to-earth qualities of Dr. Nkrumah. My time with him was up all too soon. I promised faithfully that when I returned to the United States, I would relay to Afro-Americans his personal warm regards." - Malcolm X, The Autobiography of Malcolm X (quoted on "
Malcolm X in Ghana")
* * * * *
My official trip to Ghana brings me to the famed
University of Ghana in the
Legon area of Accra. I will have a chance to explore the campus while staying at the University Guest Centre. In the picture here, the 2nd Lady of Ghana, Wife of the Vice-President, is addressing the ICADLA-4 conference at the closing dinner.
"This is the most beautiful continent that I’ve ever seen; it’s the richest continent I've ever seen, and strange as it may seem, I find many white Americans here smiling in the faces of our African brothers like they have been loving them all of the time." - Malcolm X, 13 May 1964, University of Ghana Speech