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

To mark the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in America, the government of Ghana launched the “Year of Return, Ghana 2019” in a quest to encourage African Americans and the black diaspora to return to the country where their ancestors were once kidnapped for enslavement.

Endorsed by the Jamaican government, the ‘Year of Return’ is a great initiative to bridge the gap between blacks in the diaspora and Africans,  however this is not the first time Ghana will be hosting black people from the diaspora who willingly travelled to the country to reconnect with their roots and grow a united black community worldwide.

As the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence in 1957, Ghana and its first president Kwame Nkrumah gained the attention of the world after its successful colonial resistance, which was linked to the struggle against racism in the diaspora.

During the 50s and 60s, Ghana opened its doors for the African diaspora to come home supporting the Pan African dream. Here are 10 notable and iconic black figures who visited Ghana at the time.