Tracing the Slave Route: Ghana, Legacy, and Kinship Research
Between 1690 and 1807, one of the darkest chapters in human history unfolded as millions of Africans were taken across the Atlantic. According to historical estimates, approximately 16% of all enslaved people transported to the United States during that period originated from present-day Ghana, making it one of the most significant sources of forced migration to early American colonies. Specifically, from 1710 to 1769, 16% of enslaved individuals in Virginia and 13.3% in South Carolina were identified as Ghanaian in origin .
During the 2007–2008 era, the Government of Ghana and heritage administrators highlighted this painful legacy while also advancing efforts to reconnect with the global African diaspora. These efforts have evolved significantly over the past decades. Today, Ghana is recognized internationally for its commitment to documenting and sharing enslaved peoples’ histories through initiatives such as UNESCO’s "Routes of Enslaved Peoples: Resistance, Liberty and Heritage" programme — formerly known as the Slave Route Project — launched in 1994 to break the silence surrounding the transatlantic slave trade and foster memory, education, and intercultural dialogue .
“Arabic slave hunters had a devastating influence across large parts of West and Central Africa, capturing and trading millions of men, women, and children. Their raids, driven by demand from North African and Middle Eastern markets, contributed to centuries of trauma and depopulation. This legacy remains deeply rooted in the collective memory of many African communities today.”
Ghana’s Kinship Research and Diaspora Engagement
In Ghana, institutions actively support those seeking to trace ancestral roots. Key centers of knowledge include the George Padmore Library, the Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture, and the Balme Library at the University of Ghana, Legon, where manuscripts, oral histories, and archival materials provide invaluable information for researchers and returnees alike.
Professor Akosua Adoma Perbi, Ghana’s representative on UNESCO’s International Scientific and Technical Committee for the Slave Route Project, has helped guide research and public memory initiatives on African enslavement, indigenous slavery, and kinship ties across the diaspora .
Meanwhile, communities across Ghana—including elders from multiple ethnic groups—offer support to diaspora visitors and genealogical researchers, making connections based on names, villages, and oral histories.
Assin Manso and Heritage Tourism
One particularly poignant site is the Assin Manso Slave River Site in the Central Region. Here, enslaved Africans took their last bath before being marched to coastal castles at Cape Coast and Elmina for embarkation. The site has since become an emotional waypoint for heritage tourists: visitors often walk barefoot to the river, leave prayers, and sign memorial walls in a deeply symbolic gesture of reconnection. Its visibility and engagement surged during the Year of Return 2019 campaign, which marked 400 years since the arrival of enslaved Africans in North America and invited the African diaspora to visit and partake in ceremonies, tours, and investment conferences in Ghana .
UNESCO Recognition and Global Networks
In October 2024, UNESCO launched a new global network of “Places of History and Memory linked to Enslavement and the Slave Trade,” formally including Ghana's forts and castles among the first 22 sites in this international registry. This marks formal recognition of Ghana’s role in sharing the memory of enslavement, resistance, and African resilience. The network facilitates twinning and collaboration between heritage sites globally, promoting shared remembrance and intercultural dialogue .
Alongside, UNESCO’s Collective Healing Initiative supports intergenerational dialogue, youth leadership, reparative frameworks, and capacity building to address the enduring impacts of enslavement and discrimination .
Continuing Research into Kinship and Identity
Modern scholarship also explores evolving notions of kinship, identity, and belonging. Anthropologists such as Erdmute Alber investigate changes in social parenthood, intergenerational relations, and how diasporic descendants construct new family ties with homeland communities in West Africa and beyond .
Furthermore, academic and local initiatives continue to document memories, testimonies, and historical data spanning indigenous African slavery, colonial-era trade, and post-independence transitions. Such efforts strengthen Ghana’s capacity to receive and assist diaspora researches genuinely exploring their roots.
Today’s research and heritage initiatives in Ghana stand on the shoulders of years of evolving engagement. From the historical figures in 2007–2008 reporting regional percentages of enslaved Africans shipped to American states, to today's large-scale UNESCO-backed programmes, Ghana has become a global leader in commemorating slavery, fostering kinship linkages, and healing historical wounds.
Visitors from the United States, Caribbean, Europe, and beyond are welcomed to institutions like the Du Bois Centre and the George Padmore Library, where they can trace ancestral ties, access archives, and participate in ceremonies designed to honor memory and resilience. In doing so, Ghana offers not only heritage tourism but also a personal and collective journey home.