To what extent did the cold war situation in the USA shape the lived experiences of W.E.B. du Bois and Shirley graham du Bois from 1950-1966?
Author(s): Isaac Andoh
Abstract: This paper explores the profound impact of the Cold War era on the personal and political lives of W.E.B. Du Bois and Shirley Graham Du Bois between 1950 and 1966. Through a historical and analytical lens, the study demonstrates how the heightened anti-communist climate in the United States led to state surveillance, blacklisting, legal persecution, and ultimately exile. By examining FBI records, personal correspondence, and global political alignments, the paper argues that the Du Boises’ ideological transformation and international activism were not merely reactions to domestic racism but strategic responses to Cold War repression. Their relocation to Ghana symbolized both a refuge from American hostility and an embrace of Pan-Africanist and socialist solidarity. The study concludes that W.E.B. Du Bois and Shirley Graham Du Bois emerged as global symbols of resistance, whose legacies were shaped as much by Cold War geopolitics as by their enduring commitment to racial and economic justice.
Isaac Andoh. To what extent did the cold war situation in the USA shape the lived experiences of W.E.B. du Bois and Shirley graham du Bois from 1950-1966?. Int J Hist 2025;7(7):107-114. DOI: 10.22271/27069109.2025.v7.i7b.474
