The Future Landscape of HBCUs in Africa: HBCU Alumni Leading Africa

Lincoln University, under the leadership of Dr. Brenda Allen, pioneered the Angola HBCU Higher Education Project on September 18, 2025. Lincoln University is “a pilgrimage for African leaders” with notable alumni such as the current president of Namibia, Her Excellency Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitah. The Late H.E. Kwame Nkrumah was an alumnus of Lincoln University who served as President of Ghana from 1960 to 1966 and was a prominent leader in the Pan-African movement of the 1960s for African unity and independence. L.H.E. Kwame Nkrumah published Nkrumah, K. (1965). The autobiography of Kwame Nkrumah and‍ ‍Nkrumah, K. (1963). Africa must unite: Kwame Nkrumah. Melbourne, Toronto : Heinemann.

Kwame Nkrumah's time in the US, particularly at Lincoln University, had a profound impact on his life and shaped his future. He arrived in 1935, facing financial struggles, but secured a scholarship and worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. Nkrumah excelled academically, earning multiple degrees, including a BA in Economics and Sociology, a Bachelor of Theology, and MA degrees from the University of Pennsylvania.

During his time in the US, Nkrumah developed his passion for Pan-Africanism and anti-colonial activism and became involved in the Harlem community, engaging with influential figures and street orators - Founded the African Students Association of America and Canada, advocating for African unity and independence. He played a key role in the 1944 Pan-African conference in New York Nkrumah's experiences in the US laid the groundwork for his future leadership in Ghana and the Pan-African movement. His time at Lincoln University was transformative, shaping his worldview and inspiring his activism.