Kamala Harris, Barack Obama And Other Top American Personalities Who Nearly Wept At Cape Coast Castle
- Cape Coast Castle in Ghana holds a lot of history and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- The castle was once a holding station for enslaved people but has become a national tourist site for locals and foreigners
- Several notable people, such as top American politicians Kamala Harris and Barack Obama, have visited the imposing structure
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Cape Coast Castle was constructed in 1653 by the Swedes as a depot for trading timber and gold. The British took control of the building in 1665 and converted it into a castle by 1700. It eventually served as a holding facility for enslaved people shipped to America to work on plantations.
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The Cape Coast Castle retains its history and now serves as a tourist attraction frequented by locals and foreigners who want to learn about Ghana's colonial past. YEN.com.gh mentions four notable African-Americans who have visited the castle.
US veep Kamala Harris visited the Cape Coast Castle
The vice-president of the United States, Kamala Harris, is the latest top American government official to visit the Cape Coast Castle. She was startled as she emerged from the female slave cell at the castle.
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She laid a bouquet on the floor of the infamous slave trade outpost's dungeon and put her hand on a centuries-old wall to connect with the anguish of the enslaved people it had formerly held.
She made a post on Twitter to that effect that reads:
Today, I visited Cape Coast Castle in Ghana. Hundreds of enslaved Africans were forced here, tortured, and brutalised. The horrific journey that began here shaped the history of the world. This history must always be remembered, understood, and taught.
Former US President Barack Obama at the Cape Coast Castle
The former US president, Barack Obama, visited Ghana and took a historic trip to Cape Coast Castle as one of his first actions after winning the election in 2008. His 2009 visit attracted attention since it was one of the few exceptional times in history when a sitting American president was moved to the point of sobbing in public.
The former president toured the castle with his wife, Michelle Obama and their two daughters, Sasha and Malia Obama.
Steve Harvey was emotional at the Cape Coast Castle
Steve Harvey could not hide his tears when visiting Cape Coast Castle. The legendary television presenter cried and was shaken by what he had seen and heard from the castle tour guides.
Steve Harvey visited Ghana in 2019 as part of activities to mark the 2019 Year of Return initiative commemorating the overall tenacity of all trans-Atlantic slave trade victims who were dispersed and transported around the world.
Photos of the crying media personality were plastered on the front pages of many renowned media outlets.
Ludacris at the infamous dungeon in Cape Coast
American rapper Christopher Brian Bridges, better known by his stage name Ludacris, visited Ghana in 2019 for the Year of Return celebrations.
The rapper received lessons on slavery at the Cape Coast castle with his wife, Eudoxie Mbouguiengue. They ran into a Ghanaian woman named Emefa, who posted a photo of herself with the rapper at the castle.
Elmina Castle, Cape Coast Castle, and other world heritage sites in Ghana with great historical significance
In an earlier story, YEN.com.gh wrote about three world heritage sites in Ghana. Ghana is home to magnificent buildings like Elmina Castle and Cape Coast Castle, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. World Heritage Sites are locations or structures deemed to have special cultural or environmental significance and are anticipated to impact future generations significantly. These historical sites in Ghana date back centuries and are part of the nation's rich culture and history.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
