Juffure Village / Fort James

Juffure gained its fame during the 70s with the publication of “Roots”, the book by Alex Hailey. 200 years ago, this village was the site of the capture of Kunta Kinte by slave traders.
Today, visitors can take a “Roots Heritage Tour” through the village and also visit the Museum of Slavery in the nearby Albreda.

James Island is a very impressive island to visit. The island is located in the Gambia River, about 40 kilometers from Banjul. At the time of slavery, the island was used as a rallying point for slaves captured on the African continent. The slaves were put in a prison on the island for a few weeks to prepare them for the big trip overseas to various plantations in the United States, the Antilles and Suriname. This was done to mentally and physically weaken the slaves. That way there would be no rebellion aboard the ships.
The ruins of the British built Fort James are still on the island today and are a silent witness to the horrors that took place there.

In the village Albreda is a museum with objects, stories and paintings from the time of slavery. Definitely worth it!

Eén van de vele kanonnen op het eiland James Island
Slavernij op het eiland Het slavenmonument