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Gambia: Miss. Black America Visitors Visit Slave Sites

The visiting Miss Black America Beauty pageants accompanied by family members have been taken on a trip to the historical sites of Jufureh and James Island on Sunday 27th May. The visitors were hosted by Secretary of State for Research and Higher Education, Crispin Grey Johnson, and the Secretary of State for Tourism Miss Angela Colley. Some of the visiting African Americans burst into tears as they were being shown around the two historical sites that have been closely associated with the Atlantic Slave Trade. James Island, locally called Johe, used to be an important place where slaves were kept before being taken across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. The other site, Jufureh village, was immortalized in the late Alex Haley’s “Roots.” The visitors had the opportunity to meet members of the Kunta Kinteh family and the Alkalo of the village. Mrs. Karen Arrington, organizer of the Miss Black America pageantry, said she was strongly moved by the visit and added that she would never forget the experience.

Earlier on Saturday the visitors were guest to a reception hosted by US Ambassador John Stafford at his residence in Fajara. The US diplomat told the guests that they were themselves ambassadors of their country and thanked Mrs. Arrington for choosing the Gambia to host the 1st of June event.