Born into a family of chiefs in Anomabu, on the Gold Coast, James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey sailed to the United States in 1898 to train as a missionary, graduating from Livingstone College with three degrees. He became a minister, teacher and one of the most sought-after interpreters of Africa to Western audiences of his era.
As a member of the Phelps-Stokes Commission on African Education, Aggrey travelled across the continent studying schooling systems, and in 1924 became the first Vice-Principal of Achimota College in Accra. He persuaded the colonial governor that the school must educate girls as well as boys, coining one of the most quoted lines in African education.
His pupils and admirers went on to lead nations, including Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and Nnamdi Azikiwe of Nigeria. He died in New York in 1927 while completing his doctorate.
- First Vice-Principal of Achimota College, Ghana
- Persuaded colonial authorities to make Achimota co-educational
- Mentor to future heads of state including Kwame Nkrumah and Nnamdi Azikiwe
- Commemorated on Ghana's 5-cedi banknote
- Educating one gender while neglecting the other only educates half a nation.. He fought to make Achimota College co-educational against colonial resistance.
- Use your position between two worlds to translate, not just to survive.. He became a trusted interpreter of Africa to Western audiences without losing his own voice.
- Judge people by what they can do, not only by what they know.. His teaching philosophy stressed practical action over rote learning.