slave trade tour

Slave Trade History Sites in West Africa

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Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the Atlantic slave trade saw the forcible transportation of more than 12 million African slaves from their homes in Central and West Africa to European colonies in the Americas. The trade changed the social and economic make-up of communities on both sides of the Atlantic forever, and remains one of the most shameful and damaging episodes in human history. Today, sites associated with the slave trade have become places of pilgrimage for visitors from all over the world, many of whom are descended from ancestors that were displaced by slavery. In this article, we look at a few of the continent's top slave trade history sites.

Ghana is probably the most popular destination for African-Americans hoping to connect with their heritage. In 2009, President Obama visited Ghana and the Cape Coast slave-forts with his family. The most important sites are listed below.

Elmina Castle

Located in Elmina, Elmina Castle is one of several former slave forts that can be visited along Ghana's Atlantic coast. It was built in 1482 as a Portuguese trading post and served as a depot for slaves awaiting transport across the Atlantic for more than three centuries. A guided tour will lead you through slave dungeons and punishment cells. A slave auctioning room now houses a small museum.

Cape Coast Castle

Cape Coast Castle played a prominent role in the slave trade and daily guided tours include the slave dungeons, Palaver Hall, the grave of an English Governor, and more. The castle was the headquarters for the British colonial administration for nearly 200 years. A museum houses slave trade artifacts, while a video gives an introduction into how the business of slavery was conducted.

The entire Cape Coast is lined with old forts built by European powers during the slave trade era. Some of the forts have been turned into guesthouses offering basic accommodation. Other forts like Fort Amsterdam in Abandze (which is believed to have housed the Gold Coast's first slave prison) have many original features, giving visitors a good idea of what they were like during the slave trade.

Near the town of Assin Manso is Donko Nsuo river, where slaves would bathe after long journeys from the interior before being sold. This would be their last bath before they were transported to the slave ships. Tours include a visit to some slave graves and the places where men and women would bathe separately. There's a wall for memorial plaques and a prayer room.

Salaga in northern Ghana was the site of a major slave market. Today visitors can see the grounds of the slave market, water wells that were used to wash the slaves before auction so they could fetch the best price, and a huge cemetery where slaves who had died were laid to rest.

The main destination for slave trade tourists in Senegal is Île de Gorée , or Goree Island. Located just off the Dakar coast, the island was colonized by the Portuguese, the Dutch, the British, and the French. It was once an important stop on the Atlantic trade route.

Maison des Esclaves

The main attraction is the Maison des Esclaves (House of Slaves), which was built by the Dutch in 1776 as a holding station for slaves. The house has been converted into a museum and is open every day except Monday. Tours will take you through the dungeons where the slaves were held and explain exactly how they were sold and shipped. 

Porto-Novo, the capital of Benin, was established as a major slave-trading post by the Portuguese in the 17th century. Ruined castles and other points of interest give an insight into the country's slaving history.

The modern-day city of Ouidah was once one of the most prolific slaving ports in Africa. The Musee d'Histoire d'Ouidah, housed in an old Portuguese fort, tells the story of the Beninese slave trade. Visitors can also walk down the Route des Esclaves , the 2.5-mile road down which slaves would take their final walk to the beach and waiting ships. Fetishes, statues, and memorials have been erected along the way.

The Gambia was the homeland of Kunta Kinte, the protagonist of Alex Haley's iconic novel Roots ( which tells the story of a young man sold into slavery in the 18th century and his descendants in the United States). Many slave tours are inspired by the novel and some offer the opportunity to meet descendants of the Kinte clan.

A historic settlement on the Gambia River, Albreda was an important slave post for the French. Visitors can explore the National Museum of Albreda, which is dedicated to slavery and includes an exhibition detailing the Roots connection and a replica slave ship. Nearby points of interest include Juffureh, Kunta Kinte's home village; and Kunta Kinteh Island with its slave dungeon.

Recommended Slave Tours

Jolinaiko Eco Tours offers customized tours in Ghana, Benin, Togo, and Burkina Faso. You can opt to use local transport or hire your own car and driver. The company, which is based in Accra, is eco-friendly and gives back to the community.

Spector Travel is an American company that specializes in Africa Roots tours. It offers itineraries for several destinations in West, Central and Southern Africa includig Benin, Ghana, Senegal, the Gambia, and Cote d'Ivoire.

DMC Africa Tours , based in Mali, offers a 14-day West Africa itinerary that takes you to all the major slave trade history sites in Ghana, Senegal, and Benin. This includes the Cape Coast castles and Goree Island.

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Home » Africa » The Comprehensive Guide to Slave Tours Around the World

The Comprehensive Guide to Slave Tours Around the World

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Slave Tours Around The World

The Comprehensive Guide to African Slave Museums, Memorials, & Sites

Today marks 150+ years of celebrating of Juneteenth, also known as “Freedom Day.”

I’m embarrassed to admit, as a Black American, that I had no idea June 19th was significant. But given the current global reckoning surrounding Race, Juneteenth has gained more awareness.

As a travel blogger, one of the most powerful experiences I’ve had was visiting a former slave port in Badagry, Nigeria. I learned about slavery growing up, but the slave tour in Badagry was eye-opening. Unfortunately, the museums weren’t well maintained, which was a bit sad.

After my visit to Badagry, I wondered:

Where can I find slave tours around the world?

In honor of Juneteenth, I’ve decided to tackle this question and created the

Comprehensive Guide to Slave Tours Around the World

I made this list because:

• It provides a thorough resource for travelers who are interested in the history of slavery and want to find information about different slave sites around the world.
• I want to highlight slave memorials that aren’t well known, to encourage more people to visit and embrace the dark history. Also, if these sites gain more tourist dollars, then they can be better preserved.
• Visiting these sites is important. It’s one thing to study history in a classroom, but to visit a piece of the past is an entirely different experience. These are somber experiences that affect you and bring history more to life.

This is a continuous guide and over time I’ll keep adding more information as I discover more places that should be highlighted.

What is Juneteenth?

“The 19th of June wasn’t the exact day the Negro was freed. But that’s the day they told them that they was free.” Quote from Hayes Turner’s essay .

Juneteenth commemorates when slavery “ended.” On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers went to Galveston, Texas to announce that the war was over and that the enslaved were now free. It’s important to note that the Emancipation Proclamation granted freedom to the enslaved two and a half years prior, yet the news did not reach the quarter of a million enslaved in Texas. Juneteenth reflects the last place in the South, where freedom was granted.

“Slave” vs “Enslaved”

There is an important distinction between using “slave” and “enslaved person.” Using enslaved is a subtle way of affirming that slavery was forced upon that person, rather than being an inherent condition. Historians make the distinction to use the world enslaved person since it reinforces that these men and women are humans first and commodities second.

Slave Tours in Africa

• Kesi To and Fro

Quick Facts:

• Location: 3 hours from Lagos
• Cost: $20 for a tour (price is negotiable)
• Duration: 2 to 3 hours
• Sites could be better maintained

I am starting this list, with my personal experience visiting Badagry in Nigeria.

As a Black American, I assume I have roots in West Africa, but because of slavery, my ancestry is unknown. If the enslaved were able to keep their given names, then it would be easier to trace my history. Visiting West Africa for the first time was special since I believe my roots are from here.

Once in Nigeria, I made sure to visit Badagry, a major slave port outside of Lagos. Unfortunately, since there is not a lot of tourism, there is little money to preserve the sites and create informative museums/memorials. Nonetheless, I eagerly drove 3 hours to reach Badagry to go on a slave tour. It was an enlightening experience that I personally connected to.

The first stop was the Barracks Museum, home to Sereki William Abass, a former enslaved person who gained freedom and became a slave merchant for his owner. He facilitated bringing the enslaved from Badagry to Brazil. The museum showcased the tiny rooms where the enslaved were stored for months.

Two fascinating things to point out:

• Sereki Abass seemed to be celebrated here, with a massive gravestone in the middle of the museum. I was confused about why a man that profited from slavery would be honored.
• Abass’ descendants (he had 144 kids!!) live on the site. It was unique to visit a historical place with a dark history and have families housed there.
• I never knew how involved Africans were in the Slave trade as oppressors.

The next two stops were one-room museums. One of the most memorable artifacts was a chain that was pierced through lips to keep slaves mouths shut. I picked up one of the chains, and it was heavier than expected. The guide asked if I wanted to put the chain around my neck, but I immediately said no, because it seemed inappropriate.

The last stop was taking a boat and walking down the “Path of No Return,” which is where slaves would march to board the ship to go across the Atlantic. Walking down this path, they would have no idea where they would end up. I had an eerie feeling walking down this path, and wondered if my ancestors were forced to march down this path hundreds of years ago. By the time I reached the water, I had taken a moment to reflect and honor the past.

Badagry is not a popular tourist attraction, so it was special and extremely somber to experience walking down the path with only myself and the guide.

• Location: Stonetown, Zanzibar
• Duration: 1 hour
• Find a guide at the entrance. The guide is free, but give him a tip at the end.

Zanzibar is a popular tourist destination, and one of my favorite places in the world. One of the reasons I love Zanzibar is because they are open about their dark history. The slave museum in Stonetown does a great job explaining the importance and history of the East African slave trade in Zanzibar. It also exhibits how modern slavery still exists, which gives me chills. I appreciated the educational opportunity because growing up, I only learned about the enslaved persons shipped to the Americas and did not realize many enslaved persons were sent to Arab countries as well. The Zanzibar Slave Market in Stonetown was one of the last legally operated slave market in the world.

The most memorable part of this museum was the room where the enslaved were stored before they were auctioned. This room would be filled with 50 men chained together for up to 3 days. I’m only 5’3,” and my head touched the ceiling of this room. I’m also standing where the “bathroom” was. I only stayed in this room for 3 minutes and was complaining about how hot it was and how I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t fathom how 50 men could fit in this space. The enslaved were put in these extreme conditions so that only the strong would survive. The ones who survived were good enough to be sold. . .Interested in traveling to Tanzania? Read about my experience spending two nights at a Maasai village homestay.

• Location: Cape Coast, Ghana
• Duration: 1.5 hours
• Well preserved and excellent tours!

One of the most haunting things about touring Elmina is the dungeons where women were held because there is still a stench of blood and death hundreds of years later. Many of these women were raped regularly, and if they fought back, they would be chained to a cannonball and left in the sun. Enslaved Africans were held in shackles under dehumanizing conditions for months before being shipped to the “New World,” while Europeans stayed in spacious rooms above the slave chambers with a view overlooking the ocean.

You can do a day trip from Accra to the Cape Coast, since it is about 3 hours away from the capital.

If you are interested in learning more about the Cape Coast in Ghana, I recommend reading Homegirl . This novel chronicles the stories of two sisters , one who is the wife of a British govern, and who is enslaved in the female dungeon on the Cape Coast.

• Location: Dakar, Senegal
• Cost: $100+ for a guided tour from Dakar
• Duration: Half a day
• Well preserved and organized tour s

Gorée Island, close to Dakar, is a tiny island that is arguably the most-known slave-trading center in Africa. (Other ports were bigger, but this is one of the most preserved sites). Many high profile guests have visited Gorée island, including the Obamas, Nelson Mandela, and The Pope. There are several notable sites, yet the House of Slaves, where millions of enslaved Africans were kept, is the main attraction. It is estimated that over 400 years of slavery, 600 million Africans died in Gorées slave houses. Some disturbing facts learned from the tour were that if an enslaved African was unlikely to be sold, then he or she was thrown in the ocean. Also, virgin women and heavy men were the most profitable.

“In 2015, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience announced that it would oversee a revitalization of the museum. This support will ensure that the historic slave house realizes its potential to serve as a repository of knowledge on the transatlantic slave trade and a catalyst for dialogue on memory and key issues that confront humanity today.” – Sites of Conscience

To arrive to Gorée island you can take a 20 minute ferry from Dakar. Once in Gorée you can find a guide for the House of Slaves.

Historians estimate that 10% of enslaved Africans left from the Bimbia slave port. The rich history in Bimbia, Cameroon has not translated to proper management of the enslaved site. Few tourists come here since there has been no investment to make Bimbia into a memorial, and the sites are buried in the forest. Yet, there are local guides who can share the unrevised history, and there is a push to have Bimbia recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site.

Slave Tours in the Caribbean

• Location: Diamond Beach, Martinique
• Duration: < 1 hour
• A popular tourist attraction

One of the most moving slave sites is the Anse Cafard Slave Memorial in Martinique. The memorial comprises of 15 white statues standing 8 feet tall, silently facing Diamond Beach to commemorate the 1830 sunken ship illegally carrying a “cargo” of enslaved Africans to Martinique. More than 40 Africans shackled together in the ship’s hull drowned. In 1815 it became illegal to import enslaved people, yet Europeans continued to kidnap and illegally sell enslaved persons. These people died so that others could profit.

This memorial has no barriers, so you can get up and personal to the statues , which brings about raw emotion

• Location: Willemstad, Curacao
• Duration: 1 – 2 hours
• Shares history that is not taught

The Kura Hulanda Museum might not be on everyone’s list when visiting Curacao, but it provides a great source of knowledge of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Previous tourists comment that this museum gives much MORE insight than what is taught in American schools. One of the most haunting artifacts is the recreation of the hull of an enslaved ship.

Slave Tours in the United States

• Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
• Cost: Free self-guided tour or group tours ($10 per person)

Have you ever heard of Mitchelville? My parents live right outside of Hilton Head Island, and I only just recently found out that Mitchelville was the first self-governed town of freed Africans in the States. Mitchelville Freedom Park (MPP) is a non-profit organization that educates and preserves the history of the Mitchelville settlement. If you visit the park, you can find exhibits, signature events, and guided tours of Historic Mitchelville and learn about Gullah culture.

Thanks to Samantha Burmeister for sharing her experience visiting the Whitney Plantation. I have never been, so the details in this section are contributed by the 9 to 5 Nomad.

• Location: Wallace, Louisiana (About 45 minutes from New Orleans)
• Cost: $25 for adults, $23 for students and seniors, $11 for children
• Tours happen on the hour from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. It is recommended that you make an advanced booking. When you arrive, notify the gift shop. They will direct you to the tour’s meeting spot on the back patio.
• Located on the Mississippi River at 5099 Highway 18, Wallace, LA 70049

Of over 10,000 museums in the United States, the Whitney Plantation is the only one dedicated to telling history from the perspective of enslaved people. 

When you arrive at the Whitney Plantation and sign in for your tour, you are given a lanyard with a card on it. When I got mine, I was told that I’d be able to follow this person’s story throughout the tour of the Whitney Plantation. My card had a photo of a statue of a little girl and some notes on her life. As I waited for the tour to start, I read my card and was immediately connected to the story of the slaves that lived on the land. 

The whole tour was like this – striking, honest, and deeply personal.

While many plantation tours throughout the south tell the same story (tour of the big home led by someone in a period costume, followed by free reign on the properties) the tour guides at the Whitney Plantation were modern and well-versed in both the past of the Whitney Plantation and slavery in America. 

Some of the highlights include:

• The freeman’s church , which includes an art installation of 22 statues of former slaves of the Whitney Plantation. There are 18 more similar statues around the property, but these 22 bronze statues are meant to symbolize the 2,200 children who died on the plantation and in surrounding areas before slavery was abolished.
• Restored slaves quarters – shacks that many families or people would inhabit at a time. 
• The plantation home and it’s outdoor kitchen – the oldest standing kitchen in Louisiana
• Several memorials with quotes, names, and more. This is the part that moved me to tears as they describe, in enslaved peoples’ words, what they endured as part of the slave trade. The Whitney Plantation does not sugar coat the experience of enslaved people. 

While the sights at the plantation were well-preserved and cared for, it was the tour guide that made the whole thing worth it. Our guide was knowledgeable and honest – I can confidently say that I learned more about the realities of slavery and it’s lasting effects in my hour tour than I did in my entire schooling. 

If you know a slave tour, memorial, or site that I should add to this guide, leave a comment.

Pin this post to reference later!

1. “Point Of No Return” – Badagry, Nigeria

2. Slave Market – Zanzibar, Tanzania

3. Elina Slave Castle – Ghana

4. Gorée Island – Senegal

4. Bimbia – Cameroon

5. Anse Cafard Slave Memorial – Martinique

6. Kura Hulanda Museum, Curacao

7. Mitchelville, South Carolina

8. Whitney Plantation, Louisiana

9. Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters, Georgia

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22 comments.

I had no idea that they existed! Than you!

Thank you for sharing this post! I actually had no idea that slave tours existed but I’d be very interested in checking these out when I’m in each place. I also think that this is such an important topic right now that everyone needs to be educated about. I’m British for example and I’m ashamed at how little is taught about slavery, racism, etc in our schools. Bookmarking this for later. Thank you! <3

Kesi, this is so moving and informative. I am going to research more into these locations to learn more than what I was taught in school. You’re right that it is very different to see things in person versus learning about it in history books. It’s so important that I continue to learn about this time in our history. Thank you for sharing!

Thanks for sharing these places! I am interested to learn more about the ones in the Caribbean. I am from Puerto Rico and we do not have a place where we can learn about slavery history on the island (I am almost sure this does not exist). The other thing I wish we had is a way to determine the tribes and places our ancestors came from (it is possible to do this on the European side). I know that Puerto Rico had slaves for over 50 tribes but I do not know which ones my family is linked to. I want to do one of those DNA tests to see if I can find out.

Thanks for providing this list and details of the tours you have been on. I have lived in the US for almost 5 years now, so I’m new to Juneteenth and have been learning about it a little more each year. I would like to visit some of the memorials in the US, especially the one in South Carolina.

Thank you for sharing this! I knew about Juneteenth, but definitely learned more this year. I visited Boone Hall Plantation outside of Charleston, SC and they have the slave quarters still on the property where you could go into each house and learn a different piece of slave history. Very educational!

Didn’t even know there was something like this – definitely saved! I think it is very important to visit these sites and to learn about history. Thank you for pulling this together.

What a great post which got me thinking and remembering about my own visits to some slave sites. I’ve been to Goree Island which I found incredibly moving…and coincidentally within a few months I was in Brazil and visiting Porto de Galinhas, a slave port on the other side of the Atlantic which felt incredibly significant (as far as I remember it slaves were brought across the ocean on ‘chicken boats’ – galinha means chicken in Portuguese. The enslaved people were hidden in the decks below the chickens). Thank you for bringing this selection of sites together.

There is a slavery history tour in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It deals with the darker history related to slavery associated with the Dutch Golden Age and buildings financed by profits from plantations with slaves. http://www.blackheritagetours.com/

Thank you for sharing this! Have you been there? If you had would you be interested in writing a short piece about the experience and I can include it to this post. I can link back to your website or social media?

WOW – similar to other comments above, I had no idea these existed. Thank you for this post, and bringing light to such important places to visit.

I have visited Goree Island and I remember the place really freaked me out, especially “la porte du non retour” : the last door before embarking the boat, which meant dying during transport or dying as a slave in the USA 🙁

It brings me chills to think about it. I have a feeling my experience walking down to the slave point of no return in Badagry, Nigeria evoked similar emotions as your visit to the last door in Goree Island

If covid allows, I’m heading to the Hilton Head area for the first time in November. As a history geek, I’ve been looking at places to go beyond the problematic cliched plantation garden tours. Mitchelville is now on the list! Thank you as well for these other pieces. I’ve been considering travel to several of these countries and want to learn more.

I’m happy that you are adding Mitchelville to the list. If you need any more information, feel free to reach out. [email protected]

I’m a bit of a museum geek when I travel and I find it so fascinating to learn about history. Of course there are so many terrible stories out there, and slavery is a big one. But I also think it’s really important for us to hear about them so that they don’t happen again. If people aren’t appalled by this then they definitely need to hear about this more. I am hoping to travel to Africa next year, and Zanzibar is one of the places I plan to go to, so I will keep this in mind to check out when I go.

Zanzibar is one of my favorite places. I highly suggest making time to visit the slave memorial in Stonetown. It doesn’t take too long to tour, but ti’s an important history that I didn’t know much about.

P.S – my favorite beach in Zanzibar is Kendwa in the north

Great article, thanks for writing this Kesi. I’ve done a bit of reading on the origins of slavery in Europe. There’s a site in Sanda, Sweden were they have found slave quarters. It’s thought that this is one place where the Vikings brought their captives from Ireland, Scotland and England. Dublin was also one of the main areas for the Viking slave trade over 1000 years ago. I’ve never heard one Juneteenth before either. To know it was so recent in history is heartbreaking.

Robbie thanks for sharing. When I update this post, it would be a nice inclusion to have slave sites in Europe. I hope all is well

What a great post! I had no idea that these tours existed so thank you for sharing.

Thanks for sharing this post! I have never heard of any of these places. I love the idea of a blog post that you keep adding to as well; I’ll have to save it and check back for updates when we’re allowed to travel again.

Very interesting post. Another enslaved people museum is the Castillo San Severino just outside of Matanzas, Cuba.

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Kesi is an Ivy League grad who quit her NYC, finance job in 2015 to travel the world. She left behind her Soho apartment, and started a life of unknown adventure. The mission of this blog is to teach nomads how to sustain long term travel, inspire people to travel to less frequented destinations, and to connect travelers with local people and experiences. Come along for the ride and #FollowTheFro

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Slavery and Freedom explores the complex story of slavery and freedom, which rests at the core of our nation’s shared history. The exhibition begins in 15th-century Africa and Europe, extends up through the founding of the United States, and concludes with the nation’s transformation during the Civil War and Reconstruction.

We use the video player Able Player to provide captions and audio descriptions. Able Player performs best using web browsers Google Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. If you are using Safari as your browser, use the play button to continue the video after each audio description. We apologize for the inconvenience.

An introduction to the David M. Rubenstein History Galleries Slavery and Freedom exhibition by Mary Elliott, NMAAHC Curator of American Slavery.

About the Exhibition

• When: Ongoing
• Where: Concourse 3 (C3), History Galleries
• Curator: Mary Elliott

Through powerful objects and first person accounts, visitors encounter both free and enslaved African Americans’ contributions to the making of America and explore the economic and political legacies of the making of modern slavery. The exhibition emphasizes that American slavery  and  American freedom is a shared history and that the actions of ordinary men and women, demanding freedom, transformed our nation.

Priceless objects provide the visitor with a personal experience with the past. One cannot view Harriet Tubman’s shawl, Nat Turner’s Bible, the small shackles made for the fragile ankles of a child, or a slave cabin without contemplating the individuals who owned or encountered such objects. Such powerful artifacts bring to life the stories of inhumanity and terror, and of resistance, resilience and survival. Objects open up conversations and dialogue and provide a space for Americans to reach out beyond themselves to recognize a shared past.

Main Messages:

• Slavery is a shared story resting at the heart of American political, economic, and cultural life.
• African Americans constantly and consistently created new visions of freedom that have benefited all Americans.
• African American identity has many roots and many expressions that reach far back into our past.

Silk lace and linen shawl given to Harriet Tubman by Queen Victoria, ca. 1897

Exhibition Experience

The exhibition explores the following themes:

• The Making of the Atlantic World (15th -18th centuries)
• African Peoples
• European Peoples
• Trade and Contact
• The Middle Passage and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
• Colonial North America
• The American Revolution
• The Paradox of Liberty and The Founding of America
• Free Communities of Color and the Limits of Freedom
• Slavery and the Making of a New Nation
• The Domestic Slave Trade
• African American Freedom Struggles
• Abolitionist Movements
• Slave Resistance
• Everyday Acts of Rebellion
• Life and Work during Slavery
• The Civil War and the Coming of Freedom
• Emancipation and Reconstruction

Striking a Mighty Blow to Slavery

To freedom: voices of the formerly enslaved.

Searchable Museum

The Museum  launched its newest digital initiative, The Searchable Museum in November 2021. The project’s first digital exhibition to be shared is  Slavery and Freedom , a foundational feature from the museum’s David M. Rubenstein History Galleries, entirely reimagined for the digital space.

Charleston slave badge from 1850 for Porter No. 75

Charleston slave badge from 1853 for Mechanic No. 171

Charleston slave badge from 1857 for Servant No. 2010

Charleston slave badge from 1844 for Fruiterer No. 80

Charleston slave badge from 1811 for Carpenter No. 27

Charleston slave badge from 1823 for Fisher No. 88

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Walking the West African Slave Trade Routes

It’s one thing to read about the (trans-Atlantic) slave trade and a completely different thing to immerse yourself in an experience that takes you back in time, following the not-so-exact footsteps of millions of men, women and children sold into slavery in the 15th century, when the era began.

Over the last few years, I have had the chance to visit some of the cities and towns along the West African coast, where slave trade thrived because of their proximity to the ocean. I’ve visited Badagry in Lagos, Nigeria, Ouidah in Benin Republic and Cape Coast in Ghana so far. This article isn’t necessarily about slave trade itself – I’m sure we have all heard the gory stories. It’s more about the tours and my experience in each place I went to. My starting point was;

What's Covered in this Post

Badagry, Nigeria.

This is a town in Lagos located very close to the Seme border. It served as a major port for the export of slaves to the Caribbean and Americas. Apart from its role during the slave trade, Badagry is also notable for a few historical events in Nigeria. Here, Christianity was first preached, the first story building in Nigeria (which still exists till date) was built and the first education system of Nigeria as a British colony was started.

One thing I also found oddly disturbing was the fact the a few monuments were named after Nigerian slave trade facilitators. For example, the Brazilian Baracoon was the home of a slave trader named Seriki Abass. This man was captured as a young child and sold into slavery but later became a facilitator himself.

He kept many young men, women and children in inhumane conditions in cells he had them construct. Yet he is ‘honored’ by having this building named after him. I get that it was his home and I agree that he remain in the history books but I simply do not agree that the building be named after him. I also have the same sentiments towards the Mobee family museum.

The tour of the slave trade route in Badagry was at best haphazard. There was a lot to learn but the overall experience still paled in comparison to the tour in Ouidah.

Ouidah, Benin Republic

Ouidah is a city in southern Benin, known as the birthplace of voodoo and also for the role it played during the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Our tour started from the point where hundreds and thousands of people were escorted out of their cells – in chains – to the point where they were loaded like cargo unto a waiting ship. We didn’t get to visit the Portuguese fort (which is now the Ouidah Museum of History). I reckon that’s where these people were kept before being sold.

We walked past several monuments, sculptures and the forgetting tree. A tree where the captives were made to walk around in order to forget about their families and whatever lives they had before. From that point (the forgetting tree), they were led to the Door of No Return.

Naturally, a city in Togo should come next but I visited only Lome and didn’t get around to exploring the slave trade routes there. My next stop was;

Cape Coast, Ghana

Cape Coast is located about 3hours from Ghana’s capital city, Accra . As you might have guessed already, it is also well known for its role in the slave trade. As for the tours of the slave trade route itself, Cape Coast does a far better job then both Badagry and Ouidah.

We took a tour of two castles – Elmina and Cape Coast . Both were very intriguing and our guides were very  knowledgeable and passionate about their narratives. I learnt so much about the slave trade on this single trip than I have ever learned in the past.

I particular loved that both tours ended with the reminder of the ugliness of slavery as experienced in the past, a charge not to dwell but rather learn from it and a reminder that even now, slavery exists in many other forms which we must strive to put an end to.

We cannot change the past but we can learn from it and change the future…

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Hello! I found your post very enlightening. My friends and I would me traveling to a resort in Ouidah, Benin Rep. Could you be kind enough to tell us how to tour the places you visited and probably an estimated cost. Thank you!

Hi Bella, thanks for stopping by & I’m glad you found the post helpful.

I believe resorts in Ouidah can organize transport for their guests but this will obviously come at a cost. If you want to do it on your own, you can hop on a zemidjan (okada) – which the most common form of transport and visit the places around.

In Ouidah, there’s the beach, point of no return, Portuguese fort (which is now a museum), Sacred Forest of Kpasse and the infamous Temple des Pythons. I wrote about where I visited here: http://wp.me/p8uiF9-d3 and the costs here: http://wp.me/p8uiF9-cX

I hope this helps…

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For Black Americans, a Heritage Trip to West Africa Can Be Life-changing

African Americans have lately gravitated toward ancestral homelands like Benin, Ghana, and Togo. Special planning helps these heritage travelers have a positive experience.

West African must-sees like Ghana's Elmina Castle and Senegal's Maison des Esclaves, relics of the transatlantic slave trade, are some of the most important historical sites on the continent. They have an even deeper meaning for travelers like Rondel Holder. A Black New Yorker with family from Grenada and Jamaica, he's one of a growing number of people of the African diaspora returning to West Africa to explore his roots.

"I still get chills thinking about the dungeons and cellars of Elmina Castle," Holder says, recalling his visit in 2019. "For a lot of Black people, there's a longing to connect and a longing to learn about where we're from."

A number of developments are driving a surge of interest in heritage trips to West Africa. Advancements in DNA testing — led by Africa-focused companies such as AfroRoots DNA and African Ancestry — are making it easier for Black Americans to research their genetic backgrounds. Airlines, including Delta, have expanded service to West Africa. Tourism campaigns such as Ghana's 2019 Year of Return, timed to coincide with the 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, also attracted the diaspora. And a growing number of tour operators are stepping in to handle the logistics of these trips.

"We've never really had the chance to grow from the past," says Atlanta-based Eric Martin, cofounder of Black & Abroad , which operates group tours to Ghana and Senegal. "By making a pilgrimage to these West African countries, seeing the sights, hearing the personal accounts of our African ancestors directly from their surviving descendants, we have a cathartic connection."

Black travelers say the experience can be life-changing.

"I feel more in touch with myself and my culture than ever before," says Brian Oliver, a Baltimore-based nonprofit director who visited the five African countries that matched his DNA: Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo. Nicole Brewer, a teacher and blogger living in Oman whose DNA results showed a link to Ghana, added the country to her short list of places for retirement, after visiting during the Year of Return. Others, like Kristin Tellis Quaye of St. Petersburg, Florida, have turned heritage travel into a new career. A practicing lawyer, she also now runs Certified Africa , a firm that organizes trips to West Africa.

While these soul-stirring journeys are a powerful means for Black Americans to trace their lineage, they also require careful planning.

"The reality is, Africa has its own complexities and perspectives that don't always match the idealized view of the continent those in the diaspora have," says Kwesi Ewoodzie, a Ghanaian-American sociologist and founding director of Culture Beyond Borders , an Atlanta tour operator. The right guide can help navigate language barriers and facilitate meaningful cultural interactions. Facebook groups such as Black Travel Movement and Travel Africa Movement are excellent resources, filled with advice from locals. And media outlets like Essence and Travel Noire offer sound advice, often with Black Americans specifically in mind.

Another challenge: DNA testing can trace only Black Americans' racial backgrounds and geographic origins, not the names or lineages of their families. Despite all of this, Holder says, his visit to Ghana was "deeply spiritual."

"You're standing where tens of thousands of Black people were enslaved, learning about everything they went through before they were shoved onto boats to cross the Atlantic," he recalls. "So, to be back in Africa willingly and happily, in the place where all of that happened, it's like my ancestors' wildest dreams."

A version of this article first appeared in the February 2021 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline Going to West Africa? It's a Trip Like No Other.

Old Slave Mart Museum

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Ghana Heritage Tour

Season: January – December

Tour Customizable: Yes

Arrival at the Kotoka International Airport . A guide from Blastours meets group on arrival and sends you to your hotel. A briefing about the tour will be given over a welcome dinner.  Spend the night stay at boutique hotel in the heart of Accra.

Start the day with an Accra city tour through the principal streets of Accra . This tour will take us through the Independence square, the Arts Centre and the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum .

After lunch, we visit the Dubois Centre for Pan Africanism, meet up with historians at the Dubois Centre for debates and discussions.

Continue to the WEB Dubois Centre and the Diaspora African Forum (DAF). You have the option to add the name of an ancestor to the historic Sankofa wall located at the Centre.

Spend the night stay at boutique hotel in the heart of Accra.

Accra – Elmina

Set off for the Central Region with a stopover at Fort William in Anomabo, the ancestral home of Louise Armstrong. Also stopover at the Posuban Shrine. Upon arrival, we visit the Cape Coast Castle, identified as a World Heritage monuments by the UNESCO World Heritage Foundation.

In the late afternoon, we visit the University of Cape Coast for a 2 hour lecture on African traditional religion and music by renowned lecturers.

Spend the night at a beach resort in Elmina

Participate in a naming ceremony amidst traditional drumming and dancing by the villagers and also be given traditional African names.

Experience a guided tour of the Elmina Castle, declared as a UNESCO World heritage site, which was built by the Portuguese in 1482 as São Jorge da Mina (St. George of the Mine). It is a well preserved castle with an incredible history and infamous for its pivotal role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Continue with a walking tour through the Elmina township to view some houses built in colonial style, including a visit to the Asafo Shrines, where warriors prepared mentally and spiritually before going to war.

End the day relaxing at the beachfront resort.

Elmina – Kumasi

We visit the Kakum National Park to experience a walk across the Canopy walk way.

Continue trip to Kumasi through the Slave Route of Assin Manso, where the slaves were kept, had a last bath in the “Donko Nsuo” before shipment to the New World .

Upon arrival in Kumasi , we visit a village in the Ashanti Region, make a presentation to the Chief, and seek permission from him to learn about the history of the region from the elders who will also be recorded.

Spend the night in Kumasi

Start the day with a visit to the Kejetia market, the largest open ari market in West Africa. Also visit to the Manhyia Palace , the seat of the Ashanti kingdom.

After lunch, we visit the craft villages of  Ntonso, famous for adinkra design and Ahwiaa for carving. Also visit the village of Adanwomase (Kente) to interact with locals and to learn traditional skills like kente weaving, palmwine tapping, farming, etc.

Kumasi – Tamale

Depart for the Northern region with a stopover at the Boabeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, where Mona and black and white Colobus monkeys are considered to be a significant part of the community. Continue trip northwards with a stopover at a traditional settlement en route. Spend the night at a Hotel, in Tamale

Tamale – Salaga

Visit Salaga, pay a courtesy call on the Chief of Salaga. Visit the major slave market, the slave wells and cemetery now turned shrine. Also interview descendants slaves for a vivid narration of their history. Spend the night at a Hotel, in Tamale

Tamale – Damongo

Morning visit to a local market. Depart for Damongo through Tamale, where we visit the Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art. Continue to the Mole National Park, home to 93 species of mammals, including herds of elephant, buck, and a wide range of bird life (approximately 300 species).

Overnight stay in Damongo

Wake up in the early morning to the sights and sounds of the park and to view the elephants and other protected species of the game reserve.

Experience an early morning walking park safari. We will also visit the nearby Larabanga mosque.

End the day at the Mognori Eco Village, a community based eco-tourism site, learn the process of making shea butter and other the daily activities of this community, etc. End the day with storytelling and a cultural performance.

Damongo – Tamale – Accra

Depart for Tamale with brief stops at settlements on route. Check into the Tamale Airport for a return trip to Accra by air

Free day in Accra .

Overnight stay at a beach resort in Accra

Visit the Makola Market and the Aburi Botanical gardens where we visit the woodcarvers of the mountains for handicrafts like sculptures, face masks, beads, leather, etc.

Free day and last minute shopping before departure.

(No overnight stay)

Tour Highlights

• Welcome Ceremony
• Naming Ceremony
• Jamestown History Tour
• Slave River in Assin Manso
• Cape Coast & Elmina Castles
• Fort William
• Cultural and historical sites in the Ashanti Kingdom
• Slave markets, Wells, Cemeteries on the Trans-Atlantic Slave Route
• 13th Century Mosque, palaces, etc
• Craft villages & markets
• and many more

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• Transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle with WIFI on board
• Experienced English-speaking tour guide’s services
• Hotel Accommodation
• Meals daily
• Bottled water on vehicle at all times
• All listed activities

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• West Africa

Black History in Ghana Tour

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8 Days 7 Nights

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Transatlantic slave trade in ghana, black history in ghana tour: echoes of ghana’s coastal tragedy.

Firstly, embark on an enlightening 8-day journey through the Motherland Ghana, tracing the profound historical and cultural landmarks that shape the nation’s narrative. Commencing in Accra, the capital city, your exploration begins at the W.E.B. Dubois Centre, a tribute to Pan-African ideals, setting the stage for a comprehensive voyage through time.

The second day unfolds in Accra, where you delve into the legacy of Kwame Nkrumah at the mausoleum dedicated to Ghana’s first president and explore Independence Square, a symbolic space reflecting the nation’s liberation .

Also, venture into Jamestown on the third day, the historical district reveals a captivating blend of colonial architecture and vibrant street art, providing a unique lens into Ghana’s evolving cultural landscape.

Day four marks a poignant juncture in your journey as you confront the harrowing history of the transatlantic slave trade at the Assin Manso Slave Facility, offering a solemn reflection on the final moments of enslaved Africans before their journey across the Atlantic.

Days five and six lead you to the Cape Coast Slave Castle and Elmina Slave Castle, UNESCO World Heritage Sites bearing witness to the tragedies of the transatlantic slave trade. Guided tours unravel the stories encapsulated within their ancient walls, providing a sombre yet essential understanding of Ghana’s past.

On the seventh day, immerse yourself in the Elmina community, gaining insights into local traditions and daily life.  Additionally, explore Fort St. Jago, Fort St. Anthony, Fort Apollonia, and Fort Metal Cross, each contributing unique chapters to Ghana’s historical tapestry.

Additionally, Fort Batenstein, is a coastal fortification resonating with historical significance. The journey concludes, leaving you with profound experiences and lessons learned from the forts, castles, and landmarks—a testament to Ghana’s enduring spirit and resilience throughout its storied past.

In conclusion,

Join us on a voyage to the Motherland, Ghana, where we’ll delve into the depths of our rich history. Trace the footsteps of ancestors, explore historical landmarks, and connect with the rich heritage of the African diaspora with this Black History in Ghana Tour.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade in Ghana

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• W.E.B. Dubois Centre for Pan-African Culture
• Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum
• Independence Square
• Fort St. Jago
• Fort St. Anthony
• Fort Appollonia
• James Town (Old Accra)
• Assin Manso Slave Facility
• Cape Coast Slave Castle
• Elmina Slave Castle
• Elmina Community Tour

Day 1: Arrival in Accra

Upon landing in lively Accra, you'll step into the heart of Ghana, a tapestry of culture and history. From the airport, we head to a forex bureau to exchange currency before settling into your accommodation. Embrace the evening to unwind and savor a welcome dinner, crafting the perfect start to your cultural journey.

Day 2: Accra Exploration

After breakfast, immerse yourself in a cultural odyssey, beginning with a morning visit to the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre for Pan-African Culture. Here, delve into the profound legacy of this influential figure, gaining insights into his contributions to pan-Africanism. As the day unfolds, explore Independence Square in the afternoon—a symbolic space representing Ghana's hard-fought freedom . Pay homage to Kwame Nkrumah, a key architect of Ghana's independence, at his mausoleum.

Next, we proceed to a restaurant where our dinner experience is accompanied by soulful melodies echoing the historical tunes of slavery. This musical backdrop transports us back in time, adding a reflective ambiance to our evening meal.

Day 3: Journey through Jamestown - Old Accra

After breakfast, the day unveils the rich layers of history within James Town, Old Accra. Navigate through historic sites, absorbing poignant tales of the past, and immerse yourself in the vibrant local culture that breathes life into every corner. As the day progresses, consider embracing an optional evening cultural performance, a captivating experience that further deepens your connection with Ghana's artistic spirit.

Following that, we proceed to Jamestown Boutique for a special naming ceremony, bestowing upon us authentic African names with certified documentation. This cultural immersion deepens our connection with the local traditions and enriches our journey with personalized significance.

After the naming ceremony, savor the renowned Ghanaian dish, Kenkey. This culinary delight, known for sustaining slaves during perilous sea voyages, adds a layer of historical resonance to our gastronomic experience. we return to our hotel, creating a space for relaxation and preparation for the upcoming day's trip to Assin Manso. 

Day 4: Journey to Assin Manso

The next morning after breakfast, commence your journey to Cape Coast, making a poignant stop at Assin Manso Slave Facility. where we will be welcomed with drums and adowa dance showcasing the freedom we have now. This site is a powerful reflection point, compelling contemplation on Ghana's intricate history. Upon arriving in Cape Coast, proceed to check in at your accommodation. This marks the beginning of your preparation for the profound experiences that await you in this historically rich and culturally vibrant destination.

Day 5: Cape Coast & Elmina Castle

The next morning after breakfast commence our day with a profound exploration of Cape Coast Slave Castle, a distinguished UNESCO World Heritage Site. Allow the echoes of history to resonate as you navigate through the corridors of this poignant landmark, absorbing the weight of its significance. In the afternoon, the narrative unfolds further at Elmina Slave Castle, where the tales of resilience and strength echo within its walls. Delve into the complexities of history, acknowledging the stories of those who endured. The experience deepens with a community tour, fostering the sea where the slaves were transported tbut currently fishing bay to engage with the locals and witness the spirit that defines the community before dinner.

Day 6: Journey to Kakum- Canopy Walk - Side Attraction

While in Cape Coast, the following morning will be dedicated to immersing ourselves in the lush greenery of Ghana's Kakum National Park. Indulge in a captivating canopy walk, a unique side attraction that offers an enchanting experience. As the local saying goes, a visit to Cape Coast is incomplete without exploring the verdant wonders of Kakum Forest.

Day 7: Fort Batensein Adventure

Begin your journey from Cape Coast with a visit to Fort St. Jago, perched atop a hill offering panoramic views. Explore the intricate architecture and learn about its strategic significance in the region's history. Continue to Fort St. Anthony, a coastal fortress with a storied past. Dive into the tales of trade and defense that unfold within its walls. As the day progresses, immerse yourself in the historical ambiance of Fort Apollonia, a testament to the region's colonial legacy.

Day 8: Departure

Embark on the second day with a visit to Fort Metal Cross, an emblem of European naval history. Discover the intertwining narratives of trade and conflict that shaped the coastal landscape. Conclude your journey at Fort Batenstein, where the stories of resilience and heritage echo through time. The strategic coastal location of these forts adds a layer of intrigue to their historical significance.

Depart with a profound understanding of Ghana's maritime past and the legacies etched within these formidable structures.

Included/Excluded

• A guided tour of important places
• Accommodation in single twin share room
• Arrival and departure support and guidance
• Departure Taxes or Visa handling fees
• Entrance fees to various attractions
• Overnight in a 5-star Hotel - Breakfast and Dinner
• Professionally guided tour
• Unlimited bottled water
• Visa arrangements
• International flight.
• Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
• Personal expenses like internet usage, and telephone charges
• Travel Insurance
• Visa expenses

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Charleston’s newest museum reckons with the city’s role in the slave trade

It’s estimated that more than 80 percent of African Americans can trace one ancestor back to Charleston. The International African American Museum centers the stories of the enslaved.

Charleston , South Carolina, may be known for its harborfront promenade lined with candy-colored, antebellum-style, million-dollar mansions. Or for its she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, and other delicacies on the menus of the city’s famed restaurants.  

Now a sleek, modern building in the heart of downtown has just opened amid much fanfare, and is set to be one of the city’s—and the nation’s—most significant cultural institutions.  

The building is the International African American Museum (IAAM), located on Gadsden’s Wharf , which, from 1783-1807, was the largest single point of entry into North America for enslaved Africans.

The museum’s June 27, 2023, opening was hosted by former Cosby Show actress and a current dean at Howard University Phylicia Rashad. The Obamas sent virtual remarks, while other celebs and notable luminaries made appearances.

IAAM cost nearly $100 million and has been some 20 years in the making. Now that it’s here, its staff and team are ready for the whole world to grace its doors.

“We welcome everyone to visit us at IAAM,” says president and CEO Tonya Matthews, “to simultaneously hold the sensations of trauma and joy that are woven together throughout our exhibitions, and feel something that is akin to everything.”

Why Charleston ’ s newest museum matters

At last count, there were more than a hundred African American museums around the United States, all collecting and preserving the history of people of African descent. The biggest and most comprehensive of all, the National Museum of African American History and Culture , sits on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

( Here are 13 must-visit destinations for African American history and culture .)

But IAAM is particularly significant because of its location. More than 40 percent of all captive Africans were brought into the U.S. here, where they were sold into slavery at auction. They were then sent on to plantations and farms across the country.

In the late 1700s, Gadsden’s Wharf stretched 840 feet across, about three city blocks, and could accommodate up to six ships at once. Each one carried a cargo hold full of as many as a few hundred captive Africans.

It‘s estimated that more than 80 percent of all African Americans can trace at least one ancestor to the area . Michelle Obama, for instance, tracks two relatives to South Carolina: her paternal great-great-grandfather born enslaved on the Friendfield Plantation in Georgetown, about an hour north of Charleston, and her maternal great-great-great-grandmother, also born enslaved on a different plantation in South Carolina and given as an inheritance to a plantation in Georgia . It is likely that the family’s lineage in the U.S. began at Gadsden’s Wharf.

This site choice and the investment in the building of IAAM is also part of a larger reckoning happening in Charleston. In 2015, the Confederate flag was removed from the South Carolina State House. In 2018, the city council formally apologized for Charleston’s role in slavery.

And the city has begun to slowly challenge the mainstream narrative around the nature of plantations.

Reconsidering plantation narratives

With their weeping willow trees, deep-set porches, grand columns, and often beautifully cultivated land, plantations have been romanticized in our culture. They are recommended as wedding venues, listed on Airbnb as vacation homes before the platform banned them, and referenced positively and benignly throughout popular culture.

But plantations were places where millions of enslaved Black people toiled in the heat and cold for no pay and little rest, under often brutal conditions. Many of their grounds still include unmarked graves where the enslaved were buried.

( In Charleston, Black history is being told through a new lens .)

Charleston is slowly changing the narrative of plantations under the direction of the historical interpreters of Charleston County Parks and Recreation (CCPR), specifically through their work at the McLeod Plantation . McLeod is one of the rare plantations in the country that focus on accounts of the enslaved.

Toby Smith, the cultural history interpretation coordinator for CCPR, says this about McLeod: “This place is a memorial to the life and the times of those who were enslaved here but retained their humanity. This is their moment to be honored, and to be lifted up and to be learned from.”

She continues, “What happened here speaks to our humanity, our collective humanity, our history—as Charlestonians, as South Carolinians, and as Americans.”

She acknowledges, though, that this new emphasis doesn’t sit well with everyone.

“I read our reviews,” she says. “And I mean, sometimes people really wear themselves out. You know? ‘I wish I could give you half a star.’ ‘I hate your guts.’ Yeah. But what they’re really saying is, I’m uncomfortable with this. Right? So there is a resistance.”

( Plantations are a traumatic chapter in American history—here’s why to visit .)

Still, about 36,000 visitors come to McLeod annually now. And this last year, visitors from 95 countries walked the grounds. Plus, other plantations in Charleston are gearing up to follow in its footsteps.

Tapping into the healing powers of water

Perhaps a new understanding really is taking root, particularly in Charleston. Tia Clark thinks so.

“I feel the shift,” she says.

Clark is a native Charlestonian who founded in 2018 Casual Crabbing with Tia , or “Let’s Go Crabbing,” rated as one of Airbnb’s best experiences in the world.  

Clark plans to go to the IAAM museum with her mother and her aunt soon. “I am excited, but I know it’s going to be super emotional for me.” Clark is of Gullah Geechee heritage , and her family once lived in downtown Charleston on Henrietta Street.

While the IAAM broadly explores the history of African Americans and the global legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, it also tells the story of Black South Carolinians and specifically of the Gullah Geechees, a unique people who have traditionally resided in the coastal areas and the sea islands of North Carolina , South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida . Because they were enslaved on isolated islands and coastal plantations, they are one of the few groups of African Americans to retain foods, language, culture, and traditions that can be traced directly back to Africa.

But Clark says she grew up ashamed of her background.

“I turned my back on my heritage because I thought it was bad,” she says.

( Take a virtual tour of South Carolina’s only civil rights museum .)

Then, six years ago, a cousin took her crabbing for the first time, and she says it was like a baptism and a reawakening. It reconnected her to the culture of her ancestors, who used to crab for sustenance. This brought her back to the water, something she didn’t even know she was missing. Now she teaches tourists and even locals how to fish for crab in Charleston Harbor. And she herself spends hours out there, casting her net, often in the wee hours of the morning, watching the sunrise, reclaiming the parts of herself that were once lost.

Even though the story of African Americans starts on faraway shores, one chapter begins on arrival on these shores, along this coastline, in the water.

“It’s that water that brought the Africans here,” says Smith, who is also Gullah Geechee. “And as Gullah people, the water, we believe, carries our souls to rest.”

Maybe, ultimately, the most surprising and profound thing about the IAAM is that by standing at the edge of this historic wharf, it helps bring African Americans back to the ocean, back to the turbulent Atlantic, back to a place of origin, death, sustenance—and now, self-healing.

What to know

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• AFRICAN-AMERICANS
• MODERN HISTORY
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• HISTORIC SITES

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The Slave Trade in Lisbon - A Historical Walking Tour

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On this small group, 3 hour walking tour, you will learn how in the 15th century Portugal pioneered the Atlantic Slave Trade and how slavery went hand in hand with the journeys of exploration that Portugal is most famous for.

This educational experience covers the locations in Lisbon’s historical city center associated with the Slave Trade and African History, but will also address Portugal’s contemporary History and the recent fall of the country’s colonial empire in the mid 1970’s.

In the first half of the 15th century, Portugal under the guidance of Prince Henry the Navigator, began what we now refer to as the Atlantic Slave Trade. This trade saw approximately 12.5 million Africans sold into slavery and taken across the ocean to the Americas. It was a brutal trade that lasted for four centuries.

In this walking tour, you will learn how the Slave Trade shaped Portugal's development. You will be guided along back streets and main avenues, monuments, churches and public squares that have a connection with this history and can offer insight into how Lisbon was marked by slavery. We will address various topics such as the genesis of the slavery in the Iberian peninsula, the birth of the Atlantic Slave Trade, the Age of Discovery, the day to day aspects of the life of an enslaved person living in historical Lisbon, the importance of Brazil,towards the abolition of the trade in Portugal, the Portuguese colonies in Africa and the struggle for liberation by African nationalists.

This tour is conducted by a licensed local guide whose mission is to inform travelers what they need to know to enhance their stay in Lisbon, and to promote Portugal's culture and heritage. From recommendations of things to do in the city, to insider advice on public transportation, to other areas you would want to visit on your stay, feel free to ask your guide anything.

The maximum number of participants is 8 people. This way a personal and engaging experience is guaranteed.

• Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the historical quarters of the city coupled with insightful commentary and information
• Gain insight into a topic rarely addressed in the tourism industry
• Visit the Church of São Domingues
• A detailed explanation on Portugal’s role during the Age of Discovery and the African Slave Trade
• Learn how Portuguese culture and contemporary history was shaped by Africa

Inclusions:

• Professional tour guide
• Local taxes and fees

Exclusions:

• Meals and Drinks
• Museum entrance fees
• Hotel pick up / Hotel drop-off

In front of the fountain located in the Largo do Chafariz de Dentro

We provide our tours in this specific languages.

Other Tours

Vr experience, alfama tour.

Duration : 3 Hours (approx.)

Price per person:  30.00 € – adults; 15.00 € – youth and children; 0.00 € – infants  vat included, schedule: choose between a morning (10:00 am – 1:00 pm) or an afternoon tour (3:00 pm – 6:00 pm), meeting point: in front of the fountain located in the largo do chafariz de dentro, certification.

Av. Óscar Monteiro Torres,

nº 60 2-D, 1000-220 Lisbon

(+351) 911 582 499

[email protected]

Copyright © 2018 MyLisbonTours.com. All rights reserved.

Footprints of Savannah Walking Tour

“a walk along the forgotten history footpaths of the city”.

Learn about Urban slavery, the Slave Trade and the Cotton Trade in Savannah. See the remnants of the 1860s slave trade and a building that once was a slave Mart that became a Freedmen’s School.

Conversation, questions and comments about the History are encouraged along the 90 minute Walk. Limited to four to six guests until further notice. Private Tours available for an additional fee.

Footprints of Savannah Walking Tour Fee accepted at the end of the Walk.

Adults $30 per person (Gratuity not included) Children under 12 years old ($10)

Tours are reserved by phone only and confirmed by texts. 912-695-3872 Based on availability. Tours available on Sundays currently.

Footprints of Savannah Virtual Tours

For more information and to book reservations call (912) 695-3872. Virtual Tour Fee: $15 per person. Pay online after booking. Virtual Tour reservations only. Email: [email protected] to receive a Zoom link for the Virtual Tour.

Map for Tour

Baltimore's slave trade, tour description.

After its incorporation in the late 18th century, the population of Baltimore grew very quickly along with the expansion of the new country. One of the many “trades” that grew along with the city was the sale of enslaved people, for which there was a burgeoning market in early 19th century Baltimore. Several things contributed to this development. First, local Maryland farmers had shifted from a labor-intensive tobacco crop to the growing of cereal grains that required less work and contributed to a surplus of enslaved labor in the area. Secondly, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1793, which quickly and easily separated cotton fibers from their seeds. The cotton industry then became incredibly profitable, fueling a desire for more land and forced labor in the South and West. The third factor was the importation of people for sale was outlawed in 1808, so enslaved workers could only be obtained from within the United States. Maryland farmers then began to "sell South" their surplus enslaved workers.

This domestic slave trading, known as the Second Middle Passage, replaced the international slave trade and became a cornerstone of the new nation’s economy. Historians estimate that about one million enslaved people were sold and moved around the country between 1808 and the abolition of slavery in 1865. About one-third of all marriages between enslaved people were broken up by these forced relocations. About one-fifth of enslaved children were separated from their parents. Needless to say, the trauma of these forced separations was devastating for the people who suffered through them.

This tour focuses on some of the sites where enslaved people were bought and sold in Baltimore, such as hotels, offices, public markets, and jails. Although most of the associated buildings no longer exist, the overall map shows the deeply interwoven relationship between the trade of human beings and our streets of Baltimore.

Funding for the research and writing of this tour was provided by grants from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority and the Baltimore National Heritage Area.

Locations for Tour

Site of woolfolk/donovan slave pen, site of whitman's eagle hotel, site of slatter/campbell slave jail, site of the purvis slave pen, lexington market, site of donovan camden & light st. slave jail, site of the general wayne inn, site of denning frederick st. slave pen, site of general intelligence office, site of yates & harrison auction house on o'donnell's wharf, site of donovan eutaw st. slave jail, site of three tuns tavern, warden’s house, baltimore city jail, site of sinners's hotel, site of indian queen hotel, site of denning exeter st. slave pen, centre market, site of campbell slave pen, site of donovan light st slave jail, site of barnum's hotel, broadway market, tour postscript.

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BLACK HISTORY VIRTUAL TOUR

To mark Black History Month, United Nations Visitors Services New York invites you to take a special Black History Tour, starting on Martin Luther King Jr Day, 18 January. Offered in an online format this year,   the Black history-themed tour of the United Nations will provide you a unique look at how the lives of people of African descent have intertwined with the mission of the United Nations in fields such as peace and security and human rights, with a special emphasis on decolonization.  You will learn about the Transatlantic Slave Trade (1500-1900), the victory over apartheid, and about the Ark of Return, a permanent memorial in honour of the victims of slavery, located on the United Nations Visitors Plaza.  Through the lens of the United Nations and its work, the tour is a source of inspiration for the fight against all forms of prejudice, racial discrimination and social injustice. 

BOOK THE BLACK HISTORY VIRTUAL TOUR HERE

More virtual offerings available HERE

Tour Packages

Volta to Nzulezu tour in Ghana

Waterfalls of the Eastern Region of Ghana

Slave Route Tour

$ 1,600.00

Total Duration: 5 days Day 1 : Accra City Tour Accommodation included: Park View Hotel

Day 2 : Coast of Ghana Accommodation included: Coconut Groove Hotel ( African Village)

Day 3 : Elmina Accommodation included: Coconut Groove Hotel ( African Village)

Day 4:Asin Manso Accommodation included: Coconut Groove Hotel ( African Village)

Day 5 : Accra Accommodation not included

Contact us to have a full itinerary customized just for you

The Slave Route Tour in Ghana is an immersive journey through the significant landmarks that tell the story of the transatlantic slave trade. This slave tour in Ghana takes you through the Cape Coast Castle and the Elmina Castle, two of the most significant slave trade sites in Ghana.

The slave tour in Ghana takes you to Cape Coast Castle, you will see the dungeons where enslaved Africans were held before being shipped across the Atlantic. The tour also includes a visit to the West African Heritage Museum and the Posuban Shrine, where you can learn about the cultural and spiritual practices of the local people.

The Elmina Castle, on the other hand, was the first European settlement in West Africa and served as a hub for the slave trade. Here, you will see the Door of No Return, where the enslaved Africans were taken through to board the ships that would take them across the Atlantic. You will also visit the town of Elmina and the nearby fishing village of Brenu Akyinim.

The Slave Route Tour in Ghana is an eye-opening experience that will give you a deeper understanding of the impact of slavery on Ghana’s history and culture. You will learn about the resilience and strength of the African people and their contributions to the world. Book your tour today and embark on a journey of discovery.

This 5-day  slavery tour in Ghana tour allows you to explore many slavery sites associated with the Slave Trade in West Africa. Whenever the slave trade is mentioned anywhere in the world, Ghana comes to the forefront of people’s minds. You will have the opportunity to walk through the dungeons of these slavery sites and also experience the culture of selected ethnic groups staying within communities that have a link with the slave trade. This will help to value and understand the rich culture of Ghanaians. You will visit community-based ecotourism sites, historical sites, and cultural sites.

You will tour the coastal dungeons where captives waited for the slave ships to take them to the New World . You will travel north to visit the slave markets and to see areas where slave raiders were busy capturing those who would become slaves

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The Atlantic Slave Trade in Two Minutes

315 years. 20,528 voyages. millions of lives..

Please enable Javascript in your browser to view Slate interactives.

Usually, when we say “American slavery” or the “American slave trade,” we mean the American colonies or, later, the United States. But as we discussed in  Episode 2 of Slate’s History of American Slavery Academy , relative to the entire slave trade, North America was a bit player. From the trade’s beginning in the 16 th  century to its conclusion in the 19 th , slave merchants brought the vast majority of enslaved Africans to two places: the Caribbean and Brazil. Of the more than 10 million enslaved Africans to eventually reach the Western Hemisphere, just 388,747—less than 4 percent of the total—came to North America. This was dwarfed by the 1.3 million brought to Spanish Central America, the 4 million brought to British, French, Dutch, and Danish holdings in the Caribbean, and the 4.8 million brought to Brazil.

This interactive, designed and built by Slate’s Andrew Kahn, gives you a sense of the scale of the trans-Atlantic slave trade across time, as well as the flow of transport and eventual destinations. The dots—which represent individual slave ships—also correspond to the size of each voyage. The larger the dot, the more enslaved people on board. And if you pause the map and click on a dot, you’ll learn about the ship’s flag—was it British? Portuguese? French?—its origin point, its destination, and its history in the slave trade. The interactive animates more than 20,000 voyages cataloged in the  Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database . (We excluded voyages for which there is incomplete or vague information in the database.) The graph at the bottom accumulates statistics based on the raw data used in the interactive and, again, only represents a portion of the actual slave trade—about one-half of the number of enslaved Africans who actually were transported away from the continent.

There are a few trends worth noting. As the first European states with a major presence in the New World, Portugal and Spain dominate the opening century of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, sending hundreds of thousands of enslaved people to their holdings in Central and South America and the Caribbean. The Portuguese role doesn’t wane and increases through the 17 th , 18 th , and 19 th  centuries, as Portugal brings millions of enslaved Africans to the Americas.

In the 1700s, however, Spanish transport diminishes and is replaced (and exceeded) by British, French, Dutch, and—by the end of the century—American activity. This hundred years—from approximately 1725 to 1825—is also the high-water mark of the slave trade, as Europeans send more than 7.2 million people to forced labor, disease, and death in the New World. For a time during this period, British transport even exceeds Portugal’s.

In the final decades of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Portugal reclaims its status as the leading slavers, sending 1.3 million people to the Western Hemisphere, and mostly to Brazil. Spain also returns as a leading nation in the slave trade, sending 400,000 to the West. The rest of the European nations, by contrast, have largely ended their roles in the trade.

By the conclusion of the trans-Atlantic slave trade at the end of the 19 th  century, Europeans had enslaved and transported more than 12.5 million Africans. At least 2 million, historians estimate, didn’t survive the journey.  —Jamelle Bouie

If you are an academic or nonprofit institution that would like to use Slate’s interactive, please email  [email protected] .

Also on Slate: 

“ Watch as 13,000 Civil War Monuments Fill the U.S. Map—and Read the Chilling Inscriptions ”

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Bristol’s slave trade history laid bare on a Black History Month tour

A year after the statue of slave trader Edward Colston was toppled in Bristol, we join a historic walking tour that ‘helps us understand the present’, as well as more Black History Month events

“Important bit of history that,” a warm West Country voice says over my shoulder as we look at the plaque outside the Seven Stars pub, a 17th-century landmark of the abolition movement.

If you block out the posters for the band “Kunts” adorned with a large image of Boris Johnson, and instead focus on the cobbled streets and Georgian walls, you can imagine the secret meetings between abolitionists and slave ship sailors.

This particular plaque commemorates Thomas Clarkson, an anti-slavery activist who, with the help of Seven Stars landlord Thompson (his full name is not known), collected testimonies from sailors in 1787. Used as evidence in parliament, the testimonies helped to achieve the passing of the 1807 Slave Trade Act and eventually led to the end of the British slave trade.

Blue badge tour guide Rob Collin takes me around Bristol, guiding me through the city I grew up in, but whose history I was never taught. Last summer, protesters in the city toppled a statue of slave trader Edward Colston. Collin’s care and passion for representing the warts-and-all truth of Bristol’s involvement in the slave trade is unfaltering, even as our hands freeze around our umbrella handles in the rain.

“If all you’re going to portray to the outside world is that which is good … you’re rewriting history to your own agenda. That’s dangerous. The whole purpose of a walk like this is to try to understand the past, so we can understand the present,” he says.

As we stand at Colston’s plinth, on Colston Street, next to what was (until last year) Colston Hall and Colston Tower, we learn about the man. In 1680 he became a board member and then deputy governor of the Royal African Company (RAC), the most prolific slave-trading company in British history. During his time there (his involvement ended in 1692), it shipped an estimated 84,000 people from the coast of Africa to plantations in the new world. About 19,000 of them didn’t even complete the treacherous journey: they spent their last days chained to the ship’s decks before their bodies were thrown into the sea.

There aren’t many records of how much money Colston made from trading enslaved people, but there is plenty of information about his philanthropy afterwards. More than 100 years after his death, as Bristol’s harbour closed for commercial use, Colston was held up as a hero, and his slave-trading past was sanitised and ignored.

We head next to the Drawbridge pub , right in the centre, where the harbour was carved into the middle of the city. Now, it’s an elongated roundabout where traffic lights, locals and historical relics interlace with a recent fleet of pink e-scooters. A replica of the figurehead from the Demerara steamship stands above this pub as a reminder of Bristol’s long history importing sugar. The colourful statue wearing a red sash is meant to depict an indigenous chief, a spear in his left hand, and some greenery in his right representing the “bounty of the West Indies”.

In the 18th century, sugar quickly became Bristol’s most lucrative import and the city was a booming hub of the triangular trade. Arms, textiles and wine were shipped from Europe to Africa in return for enslaved people, who were shipped to the Americas to work on plantations to grow sugar, tobacco, cocoa and coffee, which were then shipped back to Europe.

Collin describes how the tentacles of the trade sprawled into all cities, through the snuff in Britons’ noses to the sugar in their tea, and how money made from slavery funded many of the UK’s universities, banks, bridges, schools and buildings.

“When trade and commerce dominate, the moral imperative will always be set aside,” says Collin. He dismisses the claim that everyone agreed with slavery during the height of its practice in Britain. Instead he says, “We understood the abhorrence of the slave trade, but because of the economic argument for slavery, we became indifferent to the abuse of Africans in the slave trade.”

In Bristol, money from the trade went into Clifton suspension bridge, Bristol Cathedral’s stained glass windows, and Bristol University’s main Wills Memorial Building, to name a few.

Standing in front of the cathedral, Collin begins explaining the slave trade remnants found inside. The most prominent window, beneath a gold clock in the north transept, is dedicated to Colston and features a tall dome of intricate cobalt, red and turquoise panels, with the initials EC picked out underneath the images of Jesus and the centurion. Also in the transept are stone memorial tablets of former plantation owners in the West Indies, including Abraham Cumberbatch (a direct relation of actor Benedict) who owned a sugar plantation in Barbados.

Outside as we look up Park street, the University of Bristol’s Wills Memorial Building towers over the city at the top of the hill. Students have protested to get the name of the building changed because they believe it celebrates the Wills family of tobacco magnates whose wealth also stemmed from slavery . But given that most of the funding for the university came from the Wills family , the university decided to keep the name.

Collin’s slave trade tour runs year-round, but he’s getting more interest now it’s Black History Month. Understanding the impact the past has on our present and future is vital, he says. “The absence of knowledge leaves people in polarised positions. But if history is used as a positive force, you develop empathy for other people, which can only impact our relationships positively.”

Bristol Slave Trade Walk £10 adult/£5 child , Sundays 12pm-3pm

More Black History Month events

In Glasgow, there’s a slave trade tour (free, every Sunday to 30 October) with the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights, and Edinburgh is hosting a Talking Statues tour , which explores the city’s statues and their history.

Manchester has its own slave trade walk (free, 17 October) led by historian Ed Glinert , as well as a specially curated programme at HOME arts space.

At Sheffield’s Theatre Deli , Lekhani Chirwa is staging her “bold yet humorous” theatre piece Can I Touch Your Hair (from £13, 14 October) about acceptance of identity and microaggressions.

In London there’s a black history river cruise (£36, 2pm-5pm, 23 October) along the Thames with guest speakers who give a history of slavery in London and what they call “the real pirates of the Caribbean”.

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