10 iconic black activists who visited Ghana in the 50s and 60s

Elizabeth Ofosuah Johnson February 01, 2019
10 iconic black activists who visited Ghana in the 50s and 60s

Julian Mayfield -1961-1966

African American activist, actor and writer, Julian Mayfield relocated to Ghana with his family from Canada in 1961.

Before making the move, he had been noted as a radical by the FBI after releasing three protest novels. Mayfield had escaped the FBI a number of times, and resettled in Ghana after the country had gained independence.

During his stay in Ghana, he and his wife worked closely with Nkrumah. Julian worked for some time as the president’s literary advisor, editing the proceedings of the Accra Assembly. He later worked with the ministry of information and wrote for several national newspapers. Mayfield also established the African Review, a bimonthly journal that featured articles by intellectuals of African descent.

After hosting Malcolm X on behalf of Nkrumah, the FBI targeted him, forcing him to flee Ghana in 1966. 

10 iconic black activists who visited Ghana in the 50s and 60s
Julian Mayfield and his family in Ghana

Last Edited by:Victor Ativie Updated: March 30, 2020

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