Saturday, February 12, 2011

#464 Ghana's Coastal Forts

In 2009, President Obama visited the Ghanaian coastal forts where Africans were imprisoned  from the 15th to the 19th centuries in order to supply the Atlantic slave trade. 

The president said "It reminds us that as bad as history can be, it's also possible to overcome."  And he said he hoped the visit would show his daughters that far outside their "blessed" upbringing, "history can take very cruel turns."  


His words of wisdom are now more meaningful to me having visited these somber landmarks with Semester At Sea.

Fort Appolonia at Beyin: 
  Fort Groot Fredericksburg at Princess Town (1683):
  Fort Groot Fredericksburg slave dungeon:
Fort Groot Fredericksburg slave dungeon:
Fort Metal Cross at Dixcove (1693):
Fort Metal Cross door of no return:
Yours in believing "as bad as history can be, it's also possible to overcome",
Kelly

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for posting these, Kelly. Very moving.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Julie-a profound experience-face to face with an early example of globalization.

    ReplyDelete