Kunte Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial

Kunta Kinte was among one hundred-forty Africans forced into the hold of the slave ship Lord Ligonier, which left the Gambia River in Africa on July 5, 1767, and cleared customs in Annapolis on September 29 with ninety-eight survivors. The Africans were sold into slavery on October 7, and the sale was advertised in the Maryland Gazette. His story stands within the larger history in which millions of African men, women, and children were taken from their homelands and forcibly migrated to the New World under horrible conditions during the Middle Passage, when many died. Kunta Kinte survived that journey, and his story was shared with the world by his descendant Alex Haley in Roots. As a boy, Haley first heard family stories about his ancestor from his maternal grandmother, later came repeatedly to Annapolis in search of his family history, and found key information at the Maryland Archives. That search led to Roots, which achieved worldwide success and was adapted into a popular television mini-series. The memorial symbolizes the triumph of the human spirit over adversity, rooted in faith, love of family, and pride in cultural heritage, and it is dedicated to African ancestors whose names were lost forever.

Annapolis, Maryland · United States