A statement from the US Embassy in Ghana and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday said Dr Du Bois was buried in Accra after having spent the latter part of his life in Ghana.

It said his former home is now the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture, which would serve as the venue for most of the Black History Month programmes, some of the activities would, however, be held in Cape Coast.

The commemoration is held annually in February in the US, Canada, and other countries to highlight historical figures and events in the African Diaspora.The US Embassy and AAAG are, therefore, inviting all interested parties to attend the programmes for the commemoration free of charge.

Events marking the commemoration include panel discussions, a traditional African American church service, a durbar, and a symposium.  The programmes would highlight the impact Dr Du Bois had on the lives of African Americans, the African Diaspora and individuals dedicated to shaping the socio-political landscape of the US throughout the 20th Century.

In addition, the programmes would focus on discussing the issues influencing Pan-Africanism.   As part of the historic celebrations, the statement said, the US Embassy and AAAG would welcome Dr Du Bois’ great-grandson, Mr Arthur McFarlane II of Colorado, USA, to lead a wreath laying ceremony at the Du Bois Mausoleum and give public lectures.

It said the events would commence with the “Black History Month Launch on the Topic: Honouring our Past, Affirming our Present, Owning our Future, on Saturday, February 3, at the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre at Cantonments in Accra.

There would be a traditional African American church service on Sunday, February 11, and a durbar and wreath laying ceremony on Monday, February 19 at the same venue. An academic symposium on the theme: “Honouring Dr W.E.B. Du Bois, Yesterday and Today” would be held on February 22, at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon.

It would be followed by a public lecture by Mr Arthur McFarlane II on February 24, at the John Evans Atta Mills Presidential Library in Cape Coast. The statement said the commemoration would also witness the Lighting of Cape Coast Castle on February 24 and white ceremony on February 25.

It would be climaxed with “An evening of Spoken Word” at the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre on March 3, 2018.