John Donnelly Fage

Who was John Donnelly Fage?

John Donnelly Fage was a British historian noted for his work on African history.

Fage was born at Teddington, Middlesex, England. He went to Cambridge University for his undergraduate, Master's and Ph.D.. After his Ph.D. he joined the newly founded University of Gold Coast at Accra, which was formed under the Asquith Commission and had a 'scheme of special relationship' with the University of London. He spent a decade here, developing his interest in the history of Western Africa, and particularly the African Slave Trade, on which he was to publish extensively over the coming decade. The University started facing funding problems after 1955, and many of the senior Cambridge staff left. In 1957, after Ghana gained independence, he was appointed its Deputy Principal. However, in 1959 he returned to Britain to join the School of Oriental and African Studies and then the University of Birmingham, where he founded the Centre of West African Studies. Here he spent two very productive decades, holding several senior administrative posts including Vice-Principal.