The West African Nation of Ghana - 2488 Words

â€Å"This mid-twentieth century is Africa’s. This decade is the decade of African independence. Forward then, to independence. To independence now. Tomorrow, the united states of Africa.† It was with these words that Kwame Nkrumah concluded his speech at the opening ceremony of the All-African People’s conference in 1958. It was one of the first Pan-African congresses to be held in the continent, in an independent African nation and with a number of African freedom fighters-an achievement that Nkrumah was particularly proud of. In this speech, Nkrumah reaffirms the importance of collaboration among Africans for a common goal- â€Å"the freedom and independence of Africa† and fostering the â€Å"African Identity† as a way to facilitate unity and development. The West African nation of Ghana gained its independence in the year 1957, making it the first African nation to declare its independence from European Rule. Kwame Nkrumah and other Ghanaian liberation struggle leaders played a pivotal role in achieving Ghana’s liberation. This, as Nkrumah saw it, was the beginning of a wave of independence movements within the African continent. He and many others also considered it a symbolic victory for all black people and a beacon of peace to a world that was devastated by war. In addition to eradicating colonial rule, the independence movements pushed for solidarity between Africans. This idea of unity also extended and appealed to African Americans, some of whom visited or returned to theShow MoreRelatedIndependence1609 Words   |  7 Pagesthe recent history of Ghana and explains the series of events that led up to Ghanas independence in 1957. The paper specifically discusses the effects of colonization in terms of economic and social development and the cultural tensions and tribal divisions in the newly independent Ghana. The paper then looks at the current population and government and concludes that while Ghana is still very much a developing country, Ghana is significantly better off than its West African peers. From the PaperRead MorePolitical and Economic Conditions in Pre-Colonial Ghana Essay examples877 Words   |  4 PagesGhana, whether an ancient kingdom or centrally governed nation in Western Africa, has been in the fabric of economic development and exchange in Sub-Saharan Africa for the past thousand years (Berry, 1994, p. 63). Known for its abundance of gold, the nation of Ghana, touted as â€Å"The Gold Coast† by European traders (Berry, 1994, p. 63), has felt the political and economic aftermath of the world becoming less isolated over the past six centuries by virtue of growing European power. In this essay, byRead MoreHow A Busy Workday On The Streets Of Kumasi1449 Words   |  6 Pageson the streets of Kumasi, Ghana finds hawkers hurriedly racing after vehicles to trade their commodities. All students will also be cautiously located at their respective course level classrooms or lecture halls and workers, patriotically serving their country with unremitting devotion. A passel of the working population render their vital services in the market. One of the numerous markets in Ghana is the Kumasi Central Market, which is the largest open air market in West Africa.(GW). At the marketplaceRead MoreThe Foundation Of Modern Ghana1579 Words   |  7 PagesFoundation of Modern Ghana Ghana is looked upon as a beautiful place to travel and explore West African Culture, but what lies beneath the beautiful ocean and intriguing people is a story of the many hardships and struggles that were put into the formation of this fascinating place. Ghana was once a flourishing community off the coast of West Africa until trade relations caused turmoil between the Europeans and the Ghanaians. A man named Kwame Nkrumah is an original Ghanaian who supported Ghana being an independentRead MoreLong Distance Trade in West Africa856 Words   |  4 PagesAfrican History 18 March 2011 History of Trade Influence in West Africa Trade has played an important role in the history of the West African region. Trade shaped the region in two main ways. Trade worked as a catalyst for the rise of nearly every empire in the region from its’ earliest times to present day. Also, the growth and spread of trade routes brought in an immense amount of culture with it as well. Trade is and has been a reason for organization in all parts of the world from theRead MoreDifferences Between Sierra Leone And Ghana1580 Words   |  7 Pageswill focus on the emergence of each nation, as well as each culture’s national identity. The historical backgrounds found within the countries of Sierra Leone and Ghana have shaped each of their national identities. Exploring how Sierra Leone and Ghana emerged as individual nations is crucial in understanding their national identities as well as necessary to show the similarities between Sierra Leonean and Ghanaian cultures. As for both Sierra Leone and Ghana, we see major European influence shapingRead MoreAfrican Countries, Sierra Leon And Ghana1502 Words   |  7 Pages I have chosen to dissect two West African countries, Sierra Leon and Ghana, along with Peru located in South America and lastly the United States located in North America. Sierra Leon is a British established colony founded in 1787 for slaves returning to Africa from Great Britain and also the United States, its primary language is Krio spoken by 97% of citizens. Sierra Leone became an independent country within the Commonwealth of Nations on April 27 of 1961 and Freetown was deemed the capitalRead MoreEssay Ghana: The Gold Coast of Africa510 Words   |  3 PagesGhana: The Gold Coast of Africa The Gold Coast, now known as Ghana, is one of many civilizations of Africa. It was a British Colony until March 6, 1957, when it became independent as the State of Ghana. In 1471, the Portuguese invaded this area and became involved in gold trade, giving the region the name, The Gold Coast. They built forts to protect their monopoly of gold trade from merchants representing other nations. In 1642, the Dutch West India Company captured allRead MoreSlavery During The Twentieth Century993 Words   |  4 Pagesremnants of the past in order to locate African memories in literature and bring them forth from the margins of history. Each author originates from different geographical locations in Africa, which allows various forms of slavery to emerge in the narratives, representing slavery as continuing to haunt the African psyche. In tracing transatlantic slave trade literature, Achille Mbembe states, ‘there is, properly speaking no African memory’ presenting the void of African voices in the history of the slaveRead MorePan Africanism1731 Words   |  7 PagesPan-Africanism and the Organization of African Unity      Pan Africanism Definition Pan-Africanism is a sociopolitical worldview, and philosophy, as well as a movement, which seeks to unify both native Africans and those of the African Diaspora, as part of a global African community.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pan Africanism represents the aggregation of the historical, cultural, spiritual, artistic, scientific and philosophical legacies of Africans from past times to the present. Pan Africanism