Speaker of Parliament leads delegation to Du Bois Centre for heritage restoration launch
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, led a high-level delegation to the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture in Accra on February 9, 2026.
The visit was part of the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation's efforts to restore and transform the Centre into a world-class museum, research, and cultural complex.
The Foundation's Executive Director, Japhet Aryiku, outlined plans for restoration, preservation, and long-term development, including a $200 million redevelopment project.
The project aims to preserve W.E.B. Du Bois' legacy and promote Pan-Africanism, with expected completion by February 2027. The Centre will feature a new museum, library, scholars' residence, and mausoleum, solidifying Ghana's role in African unity and cultural heritage.
A Visit of Memory, Commitment, and National Purpose
Mr Bagbin emphasized Ghana's responsibility to Pan-African history and identity. He highlighted the Centre as a repository of Africa's intellectual memory, crucial for the continent's self-definition and liberation.
The Speaker supports the Centre's transformation into a global hub for Pan-African scholarship, with a $200 million redevelopment project.
The project includes a new museum, library, scholars' residence, and mausoleum, aiming to promote Pan-Africanism and cultural exchange. Restoration works are expected to start in April 2026, with completion by February 2027
Restoration and Institutional Development
In outlining the scope of work, the Executive Director explained that the immediate phase will focus on the careful restoration of Dr. Du Bois’ historic bungalow, returning it to its original character with sensitive modernization.
Restoration works are expected to commence in April 2026, with the restored bungalow projected to be dedicated in February 2027.
Beyond the bungalow, the Executive Director detailed plans for a comprehensive museum complex that will include a new exhibition museum chronicling the ninety-five-year life and work of Dr. Du Bois; a research library housing rare books, manuscripts, and archival materials; a scholars’ residence for visiting researchers from across the world; performance and cultural spaces for Pan-African artistic expression; and a new mausoleum to honour Dr. Du Bois and his wife, Shirley Graham Du Bois.
He noted that the project represents not only a heritage intervention, but a long-term investment in education, research, and global Pan-African cultural exchange.
Exhibition and Archival Preservation Efforts
As part of the visit, the delegation was taken through The Du Boises in Ghana exhibition, which documents the lives and work of Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois and Shirley Graham Du Bois during their years in Ghana.
The exhibition highlights their intellectual, cultural, and political contributions, and situates Ghana as a central space in their Pan-African journey.
The delegation also inspected the Centre’s archival holdings, including Dr. Du Bois’ personal library, manuscripts, academic robes, and rare publications.
The Executive Director outlined ongoing book preservation and digitisation efforts aimed at safeguarding these materials, many of which are fragile due to age and environmental exposure.
He noted that the Foundation is investing in professional conservation training, restoration partnerships, and modern archival systems to ensure long-term access for researchers, students, and the public.
Government Support and National Significance
Tourism Minister Dzifa Gomashie described her visit to the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre as professionally and personally significant. She thanked the Speaker, the Foundation, and the President for supporting the agreement transferring the Centre's stewardship to the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation.
Gomashie emphasized positioning Dr. Du Bois alongside Kwame Nkrumah and George Padmore as Ghana's Pan-African giants, preserving their legacies with equal dignity.
Also present at the visit were other notable guests, including Fritz Baffour, a former Minister for Tourism, and Seth Ocran, President of the Ghana Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Association (GHATOF), underscoring the tourism and hospitality sector’s interest in and alignment with the Centre’s restoration and redevelopment agenda.
As part of the restoration process, the Foundation will announce the temporary closure of the Du Bois bungalow to allow for careful conservation works to begin.
