On Du Bois's move to Africa - W.E.B. Du Bois

Monthly Review, Dec, 1993 by Herbert Aptheker

Then, on October 5, 1961, Mrs. Du Bois, Dr. Du Bois ,and the two Apthekers--with the undersigned driving--were on their way to Idlewild (now Kennedy) Airport.

While at the airport Du Bois was interviewed by the late John T. MacManus for the National Guardian. After explaining the purpose of the trip to Ghana, MacManus asked: "How many volumes do you think will be required?" Du Bois replied that at this early stage he was uncertain; perhaps, he suggested, about ten stout volumes. And how long will this take? asked MacManus. Oh, said Du Bois, straight faced, perhaps ten years per volume. The reply was duly written down. At this point, Du Bois burst into laughter--a moment caught by an alert photographer.(7)

In Ghana the work on an encyclopedia went forward with the active guidance of Alphaeus Hunton, formerly a professor at Howard and later director of the Council on African Affairs; co-chaired by Du Bois and Robeson until killed by the McCarthy witch-hunt. Du Bois had the highest regard for Hunton.

Shortly after settling in Ghana, the Du Boises, perhaps at Shirley Graham's suggestion, decided to apply for a renewal of their passports. For this purpose, they presented themselves to the proper office at the U.S. Embassy. Here the clerk brusquely informed them that their passports were invalid and suggested they should return to the United States.

Shirley Graham had a fierce temper; Du Bois restrained her from physically assaulting this clerk. It was as a result of this experience and at Mrs. Du Bois's suggestion that they inquired of President Nkrumah if they might become citizens of Ghana. The reply was immediate; "Ghana would be honored;" and so it was done.

We have lived to see Du Bois on a U.S. postage stamp. Is there another instance of a communist, of one tried as a "foreign agent," of one summarily forbidden a passport, appearing on a U.S. postage stamp? One wonders if the United States would one day honor a martyr who died fighting slavery. Would the likeness of Nat Turner be appropriate? After all, an African-American has been elected Governor of the state that hanged Nat Turner.

In his last years Du Bois managed to produce the three volumes of his fictionalized autobiography, The Black Flame (1957-1961). His final book, An ABC of Color, contained selections he had made from his writing. It was first published in Berlin, in 1963, and a copy reached him in July, 1963--one month before he died.

Knowing the end was at hand he composed what he called a "Postlude" to his last Autobiography. It closes with these words: "...this is a wonderful America, which the rounding fathers dreamed until their sons drowned it in the blood of slavery and devoured it in greed." But, he went on:

Our children must rebuild it. Let then the Dreams of the Dead rebuke the Blind who think that what is will be forever and teach them that what was worth living for must live again...

These are not the words of a man who had "given up," as we are supposed to believe. "Given up," indeed! Let those who survived him be worthy of such a man; let them persevere in the good fight and gain strength from W.E.B. Du Bois.