JOSEPH E. K. ADJAYE

ADJAYE JOSEPH E. K.

Aged 79, enjoyed a rich and well lived life. Born on April 7, 1940, in Tarkwa, Ghana to Elizabeth Ulzen Adjaye and Robert Adjaye, he graduated from St. Augustine's College (high school) in Ghana in 1957. He received his BA, with honors, from the University of Ghana, Legon in 1963, MA from SUNY-Binghamton, MA from Northwestern, and his PhD from Northwestern University. Professor Adjaye was an eminent scholar and one of the topmost Ghanaian historians who had a distinguished teaching and administrative career at several educational institutions in Ghana and the US, including the University of Illinois (1977-1980), University of Wisconsin - Madison (1980-1987) and the University of Pittsburgh (1987-2011). He authored seven books, dozens of articles, book chapters and review essays that span subjects as diverse as chieftaincy, cultural transmission, information transformation, indigenous knowledge, Ghanaian rituals, sustainable development, time in the Black experience, Black popular culture, the African Diaspora and many more. Professor Adjaye was the recipient of numerous awards and honors including Ghana's Teacher Ambassador to the U.S. (1972-73), Choice magazine Outstanding Academic Book award, Herskovits finalist for Diplomacy and Diplomats in 19th Century Asante, various Fulbright-Hays and National Endowment for the Humanities grants, and teaching and research grants from the University of Pittsburgh and Northwestern University. Family oriented, scholarly, humorous, a joker, very conscientious, deeply religious and strong in the face of adversity, Professor Adjaye was an accomplished ping-pong player, former 800 meter track runner and loved to travel. Above all, he will be remembered for his generosity. He donated a fully-equipped computer lab to St. Augustine's College and sponsored the renovation of its sport stadium. He sponsored the friends of relatives that he did not know who were entering the US, established a scholarship endowment at the University of Ghana and frequently helped fellow parishioners who were having financial difficulties. He is survived by wife, Dinah Adjaye; children, Maureen Aryee (Daniel) and Stacie Adjaye-Mims (Harry); grandchildren, Audrey-Claire and Gracie; siblings, Rose Priddy, Robert Adjaye, Angela Adjaye, Sophia Adjaye, John DeHeer Adjaye, Florence Attah-Baah, and Gloria Asamoah; numerous nieces and nephews, fellow parishioners and colleagues. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Kwammena Essilfie Adjaye. Friends will be received at JOHN A. FREYVOGEL SONS, INC., 4900 Centre Avenue at Devonshire Street on Friday, July 5, 2019, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. (freyvogelfuneralhome.com). Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 6, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. at East Liberty Presbyterian Church.