While I knew the great Nina Simone emigrated to Ghana after years of disgust with American racism, I didn't realize Du Bois retired there. I'm reading his excellent "A History of Black Reconstruction: 1860 - 1880". Covering the post-Emancipation Proclamation period, it's very optimistic. Contrary to popular opinion the proclamation did free many slaves. Now they're joining the federal armies, working as laborers & forming the first Negro regiments. Gen. Ben Butler deserves a great deal of credit for seeing their potential value early on. Others are given confiscated land to work for the own profit.

Tragic, in short, to see there were no happy endings in this story, not even for the author.

I also peruse sites such as American Renaissance from time to time. For those not familiar, it's far, far right; many users are racist, anti-semites & xenophobic. Still, a minority, who might be described as racist but not bigoted, seem to believe that mixed race societies simply don't work. They don't blame Blacks (they don't blame themselves, either), but argue that separation is necessary for the long-term.

Certainly one can argue they err absolving white people for black disaffection. But when the day is done, their approach isn't much different to that of Garvey, Simone, & now Stevie Wonder. Interesting.