Pan-Africanism was a movement led by the African American activist Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois. He organized a series of Pan-African Congresses to negotiate for the independence of African colonies and the recognition of equality for African peoples all over the world. Congresses were held in his lifetime in 1919, 1921, 1923, 1927, and 1945; others have occurred since then, but the earlier ones had the most historical significance. While others contributed to the organization and intellectual atmosphere of the conference, Du Bois was its most important proponent and its guiding light. The Congresses became the focus of Black protest directed against racism and colonialism and fostered leadership out of its organization; African university students who attended the congresses became the leaders of independence movements in colonial Africa through the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.