"No race, no people, no nation can exist freely and be respected at home and abroad without political freedom," writes Ghanaian prime minister Kwame Nkrumah in his 1957 autobiography. From humble beginnings in a small village, Nkrumah left Africa to be educated abroad, where he met other pan-Africanists who shaped his political understanding. From the time he returned home to the Gold Coast-then a British colony-his story became one with the his country's struggle for independence.

Witnessing earlier attempts at West African nationalism that failed to support the masses, and believing that a colonial authority would be more likely to relinquish power to a well-organized government supported by a majority of Ghana's population, he formed the Convention People's Party "as the democratic instrument of the people's will and aspirations."

Here Dr. Nkrumah shares his life and evolving political philosophy over his several-year journey toward becoming the first prime minister and then president of the newly independent Ghana. His embrace of nonviolence and promotion of Pan-African unity earned him the moniker "the African Nehru." Writing in his autobiography, he states, "Our example must inspire and strengthen those who are still under foreign domination."

Nkrumah's passion for the independence of his people and for neighboring African states infuses this book with inspiration. Still relevant after six decades, this lucid, personal recounting of a pivotal moment in African political history is instrumental to understanding the challenges facing today's evolving African society.

This book is also available from Echo Point Books as a paperback (ISBN 1635619122).