| Adelaide Casely Hayford, née Smith was | | | | embarked on her project of establishing a |
| born on June 27, 1868 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, | | | | vocational institution which would "awaken in pupils |
| to a Gold Coast mulatto father of English and | | | | love of the country, pride of race, an enthusiasm |
| Fanti heritage and a Krio mother related to the | | | | for the blackman's capabilities and genuine |
| Easmon family in Sierra Leone. | | | | admiration for Africa's wonderful artwork". In |
| The young Adelaide spent most of her childhood | | | | October 1923, The Girls' Vocational School opened |
| and adolescence in England where her father had | | | | in the Smith Family home at Gloucester Street, |
| retired in 1872. In England, she attended the | | | | opposite the Post Office, with fourteen pupils. As |
| Jersey Ladies College, and at the age of | | | | Principal, she would have preferred the pupils |
| seventeen proceeded to Stuttgart, Germany to | | | | wearing native dress to school, but this idea was |
| study music at the Stuttgart Conservatory. | | | | rejected by the community. However, on |
| Adelaide and her sisters returned to Sierra Leone | | | | African's Day, which was held once every quarter, |
| after twenty-five years abroad. In Freetown she | | | | the pupils dressed in African costumes and studied |
| became a strong advocate for cultural nationalism | | | | African history, folklore, songs and artwork, and |
| as well as an educationist, and an ardent feminist. | | | | played African games and danced traditional |
| Her determination to ensure that Sierra Leoneans | | | | dances. She headed the school till she retired in |
| preserve their national identity and cultural | | | | 1940, and the school was forced to close down. |
| heritage caused her in 1925 to attend a reception | | | | A gifted public speaker, Adelaide advocated that |
| in honour of the Prince of Wales in traditional | | | | Congress Day, the day marking the founding of |
| African costume. This caused quite a sensation | | | | the National Congress of British West Africa, like |
| then. She had also become a short story writer. | | | | Empire Day, ought to be observed as a public |
| After spending a few years in Freetown, she | | | | holiday, and she canvassed mothers to explain the |
| returned to England where, together with her | | | | significance of the day to their children. She |
| sister, she opened a boarding home for African | | | | recognised the immediate need for a national |
| bachelors. During this period she married J. E. | | | | University and called for the establishment of a |
| Casely Hayford, a Gold Coast barrister, author | | | | professorship in the major African languages. Of |
| and politician, who was an active advocate of | | | | especial significance was the emphasis she placed |
| Pan-Africanism and cultural nationalism. It is | | | | on arts and crafts as Africa's unique contribution |
| probable that her marriage to J. E. Casely Hayford | | | | to world culture. |
| gave her a deeper insight into African culture and | | | | Despite Adelaide's opposition to the injustices of |
| may have influenced her transformation into a | | | | the colonial system and her strong advocacy of |
| cultural nationalist. | | | | cultural nationalism, the British authorities had |
| Inspired by the ideas of racial pride and | | | | sufficient respect for her to award her the King's |
| co-operation advanced by Marcus Garvey's | | | | Silver Jubilee Medal in 1935, and the M.B.E. in 1950. |
| Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), | | | | She spent the final years of her life writing her |
| she joined the Ladies Division of the Freetown | | | | memoirs and short stories. Her memoirs were |
| Branch on her return and became its President. | | | | published in West Africa Review during 1953 and |
| She resigned from the Association however, in | | | | 1954. |
| June, 1920 because of a conflict of interest | | | | She died in January 1960, at the ripe age of 91 |
| between the UNIA and the proposed Girls' | | | | leaving behind her a legacy of cultural awareness |
| Vocational School she intended to establish. The | | | | which all Sierra Leoneans as well as Africans if not |
| same year, she travelled to the United States to | | | | pan-Africans should emulate. Her long life spanning |
| study Afro-American educational programmes for | | | | the reign of two British monarchs, Queen Victoria |
| industrial education and to raise funds for the | | | | to Queen Elizabeth made her experience the |
| proposed Girls' Vocational School. In the United | | | | stimulations of change that affect her both as a |
| States, proudly attired in African costume, she | | | | woman and as an African. One of her most |
| gave public lectures aimed at correcting the | | | | enduring legacies is her daughter, Gladys Casely |
| misguided American notions about Africa There | | | | Hayford who though she pre-deceased her |
| she came to know more than any other African | | | | mother has a lasting place in the history of Sierra |
| of her day the most notable Afro-Americans | | | | Leone Literature, for her pioneering poetry some |
| from W.E. B..Du Bois to Paul Robeson and Mrs | | | | of which were written in Krio, a language that |
| Booker T. Washington. . | | | | was to grow in literary as well as linguistic |
| On returning back to Freetown, Adelaide | | | | importance.. |