The final resting place of Dr. W.e.b. du bois and widow, shirley to be transformed into legacy museum for ghana, and the world
The Signing
The Government of Ghana and the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation (US-Ghana), signed an agreement on 20th September 2021 to authorize the Foundation to redevelop the W.E.B. Dubois Memorial Centre in Accra, which holds the mortal remains of Dr. Du Bois and his widow Shirley Graham Du Bois into an even more vital museum complex to serve Ghana, the Black diaspora, and the world.
The signing took place in New York City, USA, at the Pierre Taj Hotel on the margins of the United Nations Assemblies.
The Agreement was signed by the Honorable Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, Ghana’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture (center) and Japhet Aryiku, the Executive Director of the Du Bois Museum Foundation (right). To the left is the Honorable Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance
Present at the signing were His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana (in handshake with Daniel Rose, Chairman of the Du Bois Museum Foundation); Ghana’s Foreign Minister; Ambassador of Ghana to the U.S. and other government officials. Du Bois Museum Foundation board included Kwame Anthony Appiah second from left, Deborah Rose and Humphrey Ayim Darke on the right. Henry Louis Gates Jr., Ambassador Harold Doley, Jr., and Emmanuel Akyeampong, joined on Zoom.
The Museum Complex
The architect for the expanded museum complex is renowned Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye, the designer of the celebrated Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. At the heart of the complex will be the W.E.B. and Shirley Graham Du Bois Memorial Pavilion which will hold the shrine and mortal remains of Dr. Du Bois and the ashes of Shirley Graham Du Bois. It will be a solemn, revered, and dignified place for contemplation and reflection.
The other important structure will be the restored bungalow where Dr. and Mrs. Du Bois lived and worked. Other structures include, an institute building that will house a museum and library; and outdoor auditorium, a retail pavilion, and the renovated Marcus Garvey Guest House for visiting scholars.
The timeline for the sod breaking is early 2023 and a completion and dedication date in 2024!
The Appeal
Dr. Du Bois was a man of peace and a civil and human rights leader who spoke up against exploitation and persecution of people everywhere and for peaceful coexistence. It is our belief that peace loving people the world over will embrace and support this noble project to make it a reality.
There are naming opportunities in the complex and names of every donor will be inscribed on walls of the complex. Please make your tax-deductible donation to the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation; and mail to:
W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation,
777 Third Avenue, 6th Floor,
New York, New York 10017, USA
Website: webdbmf.org (for Paypal donation)
Contact: Japhet Aryiku, [email protected] for further information on donations, including wire transfer details.
In Ghana: Contact: Humphrey Darke [email protected]. Telephone: +233 24 461 3090 for further information on donations.