Dr. Kwame Nkrumah (born Francis Nwia-Kofi Ngonloma, September 21, 1909 – April 27, 1972) was an African political leader. He was well known as the first Prime Minister, then President, of Ghana. He imagined a united Africa. On March 6, 1957, after ten years of campaigning for Ghanaian independence, Nkrumah was elected President and Ghana gained independence from British rule.