President Adama Barrow has joined The Gambia, Africa and communities across the global African Diaspora in commemorating the 50th anniversary of Alex Palmer Haley’s landmark book, Roots: The Saga of an American Family.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Office of the Government Spokesperson, President Barrow described the anniversary as a significant milestone and an opportunity to reflect on a story that forged an enduring connection between The Gambia, Africa and millions of people of African descent around the world.
Haley’s search for his ancestry and his account of Kunta Kinte brought unprecedented international attention to Juffureh and communities along the River Gambia. The book subsequently inspired generations of people of African descent to investigate their ancestry and strengthen their links with the African continent.
“Today, we honour the memory of Kunta Kinte and the countless African men, women and children who were forcibly taken from their homeland during the Transatlantic Slave Trade and never to return,” President Barrow said.
The President said the 50th anniversary should not only be an occasion to remember the suffering and devastation caused by the transatlantic slave trade, but also an opportunity to celebrate the resilience, courage and enduring strength of African people whose identities, cultures and family memories survived across generations.
President Barrow also paid tribute to Gambian families, elders, griots and communities that have preserved the country’s history through generations of oral tradition.
He said these custodians of history have played a crucial role in ensuring that stories, traditions and memories are transmitted from one generation to another, describing the heritage as part of the historical patrimony of The Gambia, Africa and humanity.
The President further recognised generations of families associated with the Roots saga, including grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and elders whose dedication to preserving family and community histories has helped sustain the legacy.
He welcomed initiatives aimed at passing the heritage to younger generations, particularly the Inherited Roots Project, co-founded by Malick L. Manga and Bill Haley Jr., for its efforts to strengthen intergenerational connections and introduce the story and its lessons to new audiences.
President Barrow said the enduring legacy of Roots presents The Gambia with both an opportunity and a responsibility to deepen its relationship with the global African Diaspora.
“To our brothers and sisters throughout the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and elsewhere across the world, I say: The Gambia remembers and welcomes you, and Africa remains your ancestral home,” he stated.
The President also reaffirmed the importance of historic locations associated with the Roots story, including Juffureh, Albreda and Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites.
He said these locations should continue to serve as centres of remembrance, education, reconciliation and reconnection for Gambians, Africans and members of the global Diaspora.
President Barrow called for stronger cultural exchanges, historical and genealogical research, educational partnerships, youth programmes, heritage tourism, and meaningful opportunities for Diaspora investment and engagement.
The Gambian leader concluded by paying tribute to Alex Haley, generations of Gambian custodians of oral history and all those working to preserve and transmit the heritage associated with Roots.
