The struggle of African peoples for freedom and development has been an issue on the global agenda for decades if not more. It has been in the centre of world history during the trans-Atlantic slave trade the struggle for Abolition, the "scramble for Africa" in the 19th century, the decolonisation movement and civil rights movements in the 20th century, today in the migration crisis to Europe and debates over the role of China in the global community, and the new so-called "scramble" for Africa.
Through all of this amazing, world historic, iconic figures have emerged: Toussaint L'Ouverture, Marcus Garvey, WEB Dubois, Booker T Washington, Paul Robeson, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, and Kwame Nkrumah.
In the United States and Europe, Kwame Nkrumah's name might not be as recognisable as the other names I mentioned, but in 2000, Nkrumah was voted "African Man of the Millennium" by listeners to the BBC World Service, being described by the BBC as a "Hero of Independence", and an "International symbol of freedom as the leader of the first black African country to shake off the chains of colonial rule."
Who was Kwame Nkrumah, and why was he so important? What is his legacy? Is he still relevant today, or is this just a matter of historical education?
Today I am pleased to have as my guest on the podcast, the daughter of Kwame Nkrumah, Samia Nkrumah, a powerful woman in her own right who has been making waves trying to keep her father's legacy and dreams alive.