An Emotional President Obama Tours Former Slave Port with Family
EmailFom Jake Tapper, Karen Travers, and Sunlen Miller –
ACCRA, GHANA — Standing with his family at the Cape Coast Castle, a port of no-return from which kidnapped African were shackled, sold and sent away in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, an emotional President Obama on Saturday said his daughters needed to see the fortification to be reminded of the evil that exists in the world.
The president called it “particularly important for Malia and Sasha, who are growing up in such a blessed way, to be reminded that history can take very cruel turns,” said the president, whose wife is the great great grand-daughter of slaves in South Carolina. “And hopefully one of the things that was imparted to them during this trip is their sense of obligation to fight oppression and cruelty wherever it appears and that any group of people who are degrading another group of people have to be fought against with whatever tools we have available to us.”
The president said his tour of the three-story castle was “reminiscent” of his recent trip to the Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany “as it reminds us of capacity of human beings to commit great evil.” He called it “striking” that “right above one of the dungeons where male captives were kept was a church. And that reminds us that sometimes we can tolerate and stand by a great evil even as we think that we are doing good.”
Loudspeakers had been set up outside the castle so the thousands gathered could hear the remarks of the first African-American U.S. president. Tens of thousands lined the streets from to the Castle from the landing zone where his helicopter from Accra arrived. Many wearing Obama t-shirts and chanting the president’s name, Ghanaians cheered his arrival from rooftops, leaning out of windows, and hanging from scaffolding. At one moment, hundreds began chasing the motorcade until they were stopped by security.
“As Americans, and as African Americans obviously there’s a – there’s a special sense that on the one hand this place was a place of profound sadness,” said Mr. Obama. “On the other hand it is here where the journey of much of the African American experience began.”
At one point in his family’s tour of the facility, the guide showed them the Door of No Return, through which slaves would pass, never to return to Africa again. Mr. Obama had his arm around his 8-year-old daughter Sasha, while First Lady Michelle Obama held hands with 11-year-old Malia. In remarks to children during February’s celebration of black history month, the First Lady noted that “African American slaves helped to build this house” in which the first African-American First Family of the United States now resides.
The president said today that “symbolically to be able to come back with my family, with Michelle and our children and see the portal thru which the Diaspora began — but also to be able to come back here in celebration with the people of Ghana of the extraordinary progress that we’ve made because of the courage of so many black and white to abolish slavery and ultimately win the civil rights for all people — I think is, is, a source of hope.”
The president seemed to be overcome with emotion as his made these remarks, pausing to collect his composure.
“It reminds us that as bad as history can be, it’s also possible to overcome,” he said.
The First Family participated in the unveiling of a plaque now hanging outside the male slave dungeons that reads: “This plaque was unveiled by President Barack Obama and the First Lady Michelle Obama of the United States of America on the occasion of their visit to the Cape Coast Castle on the 11th day of July 2009."
– Jake Tapper, Karen Travers, and Sunlen Miller
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Wonderful moment.
Posted by: MayBee | July 11, 2009, 12:56 pm 12:56 pm
The more I hear Mr. Obama, the more BS he has become. Mr. Obama goes to Africa and make a speech that Promise of Africa ‘yet to be fulfilled’. Africa has impact everywhere. He said the same thing about America, about South America, about France, about Germany, about Indonesia, about China.
Posted by: young_voter | July 11, 2009, 12:56 pm 12:56 pm
That was truly moving.
Posted by: Maritza | July 11, 2009, 1:08 pm 1:08 pm
This beautiful president is really truly the first global leader and spiritual teacher bringing light and truth in such a natural way. We are all blessed to be here at this time.
Posted by: Gaias Child | July 11, 2009, 1:20 pm 1:20 pm
Tears well up as I remember a visit to the Underground Railroad Museum in Cincinatti a few years ago. There is a giant tapestry in the main hall illustrating the slave trade and the affect it had on the individuals. I’ll never forget the chained prone bodies lying head to head looking up towards the heavons. What God must have thought of this . . .? Obama is a truly wonderful human being. He is wise and practical and is a great president. God Bless.
Posted by: Robin from Colorado | July 11, 2009, 1:25 pm 1:25 pm
I thought Obama’s speech in Ghana was terrific. The simple idea of good governance is much needed all over. As Brooks wrote, Pres. Obama’s emphasis on human dignity is much needed in our current politics. He represents our country as a gentleman and statesman.
Posted by: Beth in VA | July 11, 2009, 1:25 pm 1:25 pm
I’m quite sure this was a moving experience, especially for the First Lady.
The slavery all over the world was terrible; slavery always has been and always will be horrid. Even Africans sold by other Africans left ports to be “shipped” by many, many nations. How their broken, homesick hearts must have hurt. (Besides the physical hurt.)
I’m glad President Obama is sharing his desire for his girls to learn to feel for others.
“one of the things that was imparted to them during this trip is their sense of obligation to fight oppression and cruelty wherever it appears and that any group of people who are degrading another group of people have to be fought against with whatever tools we have available to us.”
Would that “obligation” have extended to helping the oppressed of Iraq under Saddam? Does “obligation” have limits?
Posted by: Gina | July 11, 2009, 1:28 pm 1:28 pm
this is sad that this is considered a story of the day
Posted by: dvs | July 11, 2009, 1:35 pm 1:35 pm
We love you President Obama, keep representing the USA with your dignity and humility. No reason to beat your chest, like others want you to do. speak softly and carry a big stick. Keep up the good job.
Posted by: JL | July 11, 2009, 1:36 pm 1:36 pm
Interesting article, but as usual it consists of and propagates revisionist history. Focusing only on the time line beginning when “kidnapped African were shackled, sold and sent away in the trans-Atlantic slave trade” it fails to regard who did the kidnapping and therefor implies the responsible parties were the same people who bought the slaves. But, of course, that is untrue. Slavery existed in Africa long before the founding of the colonies – and the perpetrators, the people who actually did the “kidnapping” in order to sell the slaves were often native. The mental image of white men chasing down black men in order to enslave them is simply a fallacy.
The sooner that all peoples accept the role of their ancestors and quit blaming other people, the sooner the world can get on with progress toward true equality.
Freedom lies in Truth, not lies.
Posted by: Quark | July 11, 2009, 1:44 pm 1:44 pm
This beautiful president is really truly the first global leader and spiritual teacher bringing light and truth in such a natural way.
=============
He isn’t the global leader. He is a politician.
He is President of the United States. It is our country that has given him the platform, and our country that makes him special. It is our interests he must serve. It is our work that gives the government the money for him to promise.
Posted by: MayBee | July 11, 2009, 1:45 pm 1:45 pm
Dear God in Heaven,
I thank you on this 11th day of July for keeping me around one more day to witness the goodwill of President Obama, a man chosen by you to promote Oneness – one love, one spirit, one hope, one direction of freedom and peace among mankind throughout the universe for your glorification.
God PLEASE continue to watch over the First Family, protect them from all harm and danger; and protect all of your creation.
Amen and HALLELUJAH!!!
Posted by: angela singleton | July 11, 2009, 1:55 pm 1:55 pm
“And that reminds us that sometimes we can tolerate and stand by a great evil even as we think that we are doing good.”
POTUS says this while not standing up for the people in Iran or the people fighting for democracy in Honduras?
Interesting….
Posted by: Ted | July 11, 2009, 1:56 pm 1:56 pm
Touching moment? Sure. Beautiful global leader and spiritual teacher because he got emotional there? Not even close. Obots are like teenage girls at a Beatles concert.
Posted by: jennifert7 | July 11, 2009, 2:04 pm 2:04 pm
Slavery and the selling of Africans to other people existed back then and it does today. Greed wass the motivationg factorback then as it is today and it has been the black Africans who sold their own people into slavery. When will we see the whole true story so that we can put to rest forever this mantra of “look what the white people did to us” ?
Slavery in America is past history yet it thrives in Africa even today – lets have some front page news on that – and have Obama visit the slave traders in Africa while he is over there – maybe he can convince them to stop selling their children as slaves to other black Africans.
Posted by: Elle | July 11, 2009, 2:10 pm 2:10 pm
These moments in history have resonance throughout the planet. We are witnessing something very special. As a species we’ve done atrocious things and yet we learn and carry on. The ignorances of the past are cleansed and abandoned by each succeeding generation. Congratulations to America on their choice during the last election. The conversation has been elevated, as has the vision.
Posted by: danita | July 11, 2009, 2:27 pm 2:27 pm
History teaches us never to forget. The visits by Obama to the concentration camp in Germany and the slave port in Ghana reminds us of the mistakes and cruelty of our past. Hopefully this sad chapter should remind all races that none is superior to the other, and all deserve an equal opportunity to the pursuit of happinness and dreams.
Posted by: Kene | July 11, 2009, 2:30 pm 2:30 pm
An interesting take on this story is that Mr. Obama’s heritage in Africa is largely Arabic, a people involved in the selling of native Africans into slavery.
Posted by: Terry | July 11, 2009, 3:21 pm 3:21 pm
These moments in history have resonance throughout the planet. We are witnessing something very special. As a species we’ve done atrocious things and yet we learn and carry on. The ignorances of the past are cleansed and abandoned by each succeeding generation. Congratulations to America on their choice during the last election. The conversation has been elevated, as has the vision.
Posted by: danita | July 11, 2009, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm
I am so tired of hearing about Africa. Obama needs to stop wasting our tax dollars with these vacations masked as work and fix our economy. I wonder if he even cares about America. He seems to work harder at lobbying G-8 leaders to help Africa than he does lobbying Republicans to pass his bills.
Don’t blame me, I voted for Hillary…
Posted by: bubbles | July 11, 2009, 3:42 pm 3:42 pm
Emotional for what?? Obama dose not know any thing about racial indifference he lived a rather pampered life.
All these bleeding hearts for Africa/slavery ask anyone of them if they are willing to live in that country to help improve the standard of living there, and the answer would be a loud hell no, they are not leaving their affluent lives in America even if they were paid to.
That is how much anyone of them cares for Africa and slavery, they sure love to beat the slavery line like a slow horse but that is as far as it goes.
Posted by: SJ | July 11, 2009, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm
“Too often the achievements of our opponents go unnoticed. So I wanted to stop and say, congratulations. How perfect that your nomination would come on this historic day. Tomorrow, we’ll be back at it. But tonight senator, job well done.” – John McCain to Barrack Obama on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” address in Washington.
President Obama’s actions and words in Ghana are something that people of both parties can be proud. How petty and vindictive do you have to be to take petty partisan potshots at what responsible people of both parties agree – even before the election was held – is an uplifting facet of Barrack Obama’s career?
Posted by: jhw539 | July 11, 2009, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
I should be shocked and outraged at all of the vicious comments about a very dignified and moving moment that we, as Americans, should so very proud of as having this man represent us in this way…and yet I’m not. The level of pure hate and callous indifference on the part of Obama’s critics is just shameful. The commenters here bashing our rightfully and (take note: FAIRLY) elected leader are showing their true patriotism: worthless as the dripping venom spewing from their cold, boney fingers.
Posted by: Kevin | July 11, 2009, 4:20 pm 4:20 pm
Concerned in OH . ….
I don’t think any race is free of past ignorances and abuse. The great thing about this is the celebration of the way we emancipate ourselves from ignorance generation by generation.
A descendant of American slaves is now the first lady of the United States.
Amazing and inspiring.
Posted by: danita | July 11, 2009, 4:41 pm 4:41 pm
It’s entirely possible that Barack Obama’s ancestors were responsible for selling Michelle Obama’s ancestors into slavery.
How awkward.
Posted by: paul | July 11, 2009, 5:17 pm 5:17 pm
“It’s entirely possible that Barack Obama’s ancestors were responsible for selling Michelle Obama’s ancestors into slavery.
How awkward.”
Why would that be awkward? The Irish killed the Irish for decades out of ignorance, religious brainwashing and political domination by the British.
This type of stuff has been going on all over the planet.
The point is we evolve past it generation by generation.
A descendant of American slaves is now the first lady in the White House. This is an extraordinary accomplishment on the part of America and all the peoples involved.
Posted by: danita | July 11, 2009, 5:32 pm 5:32 pm
I have nothing against teaching about the horrors of the early African slave trade, as long as we remember that the people involved in this atrocity are long gone. Our greater focus should be on the inhumanity that is occurring today.
Posted by: Mom of 2 | July 11, 2009, 5:38 pm 5:38 pm
Africans were the only ones ever to experience slavery. Not the Indians, Irish, British, Romans, Greeks, Celts, Slavs, Jews, Egyptians, Macedonians, Babylonians, Sumerians, Gauls, Spanish, Franks, Norse, Poles … did I miss any?
Posted by: Eyes Open | July 11, 2009, 9:02 pm 9:02 pm
“Africans were the only ones ever to experience slavery. Not the Indians, Irish, British, Romans, Greeks, Celts, Slavs, Jews, Egyptians, Macedonians, Babylonians, Sumerians, Gauls, Spanish, Franks, Norse, Poles … did I miss any?” Posted by: Eyes Open | Jul 11, 2009 9:02:43 PM
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I don’t think any race is free of past ignorances and abuse. The great thing about this is the celebration of the way we emancipate ourselves from ignorance generation by generation.
A descendant of American slaves is now the first lady of the United States.
Amazing and inspiring.
Posted by: danita | July 11, 2009, 9:05 pm 9:05 pm
I am not going to debate the slavery issues and the wrongs of the past. But I’ll I do know is that if Obama doesn’t start paying attention to what’s going on in the homefront and these two wars that are draining our country every American citizen is going to be economic slaves to the government. Also, I find it completely irresponsible to go over there to Africa and committ $63 billion to them for health care and services when we got so many here that have no health care. I say Mr. Obama needs to cancel these overseas “celebrity” ventures and start cleaning up his own house in which he was elected to do. After all he isn’t the President of the World, he’s the President of the United States!
Posted by: Shanna | July 11, 2009, 11:09 pm 11:09 pm
Eyes, you missed Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, Persians, Mayans, Aztecs,…a host of others.
Slavery has existed since the dawn of civilization. Most slavery throughout history has been debt slavery, where people use their bodies (or the bodies of family members) as collateral on a loan, fail to repay it, and become a slave to the individual who loaned them the money. Thus most slavery throughout human history has not had a racial component– people were enslaved by members of their own ethnic group, and race did not distinguish master from slave. Is that better or worse? It is equally morally repugnant to us today.
That is not to excuse the slave trade that brought Michelle Obama’s ancestors to America. That was a terrible institution and the eradication of slavery around the world, a movement that continues to this day because slavery still exists today, is a great step forward. As Kene wrote, knowing history means never forgetting the lessons of the past.
(interesting side-light– the market for African slaves in the middle east and north africa predated the development of the Middle Passage across the Atlantic, and continued after the trade had ended in the west.)
I found it moving that the Obamas visited this museum and thought that on this subject,the president spoke quite movingly. When he isn’t speaking on political matters, he can indeed be quite eloquent.
Posted by: moderate | July 11, 2009, 11:38 pm 11:38 pm
African-Americans and Native-Americans owned slaves.
Posted by: Kate | July 11, 2009, 11:41 pm 11:41 pm
He isn’t the global leader. He is a politician.
He is President of the United States. It is our country that has given him the platform, and our country that makes him special. It is our interests he must serve. It is our work that gives the government the money for him to promise.
Posted by: MayBee | Jul 11, 2009 1:45:33 PM
_________________________________
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Just in case anyone has forgotten his job description.
Posted by: Traffic Cop Timmy | July 12, 2009, 1:12 am 1:12 am
The ignorances of the past are cleansed and abandoned by each succeeding generation. Posted by: danita | Jul 11, 2009 2:27:57 PM
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This just isn’t true. History is full of civilizations that do not follow this pattern. If this were true, civilizations would not have disappeared. They would just continue to get better and better as each generation was “cleansed” and abandoned the ignorance of the previous generation.
Posted by: Traffic Cop Timmy | July 12, 2009, 1:19 am 1:19 am
I don’t think any race is free of past ignorances and abuse. The great thing about this is the celebration of the way we emancipate ourselves from ignorance generation by generation.
A descendant of American slaves is now the first lady of the United States.
Amazing and inspiring.
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Yes, Timmy each succeeding generation adopts slightly different values than the proceeding. At one time where I was raised, Catholics and Protestant were TAUGHT to be enemies of each other and fought with each other. That idiocy is now long gone now.
Migration and immigration tend to increase social intelligence. Even Italians were first called names by bigots when the arrived in America, as were people from Poland, Germany and so on. Ignorance was rampant. The days of those particular prejudices have almost completely faded.
We now have a descendant of American slaves as the first lady of the United States.
That is amazing and inspiring.
Ignorance can be overcome, and it continues to be.
Posted by: danita | July 12, 2009, 1:36 am 1:36 am
The days of those particular prejudices have almost completely faded. Ignorance can be overcome, and it continues to be.
Posted by: danita | Jul 12, 2009 1:36:56 AM
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Migration and immigration tend to increase social intelligence. Yes. I agree with this but only with those who are open to it. Otherwise, existing ignorances are simply replaced by others. As the ignorances of European immigrants during the early 1900s have faded, they have simply been replaced by others. Ignorances about negroes, jews, asian, middle easteners, indians, whites, men, women, children. Ignorance is never eradicated but is influenced by the immigration patterns of the planet.
Utopia is not coming no matter how much you wish it would. Ignorance, prejudice, hatred, etc. are all rooted in sin. Sin will not be erased in our world until Christ returns. In the meantime, the only thing holding it back are the system of laws and punishment and the power of the Holy Spirit. You can read about it in the New Testament.
Posted by: Traffic Cop Timmy | July 12, 2009, 2:16 am 2:16 am
At one time where I was raised, Catholics and Protestant were TAUGHT to be enemies of each other and fought with each other. That idiocy is now long gone now. Posted by: danita | Jul 12, 2009 1:36:56 AM
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Scanning through the Wiki page on these, it seems more like a political resolution was the reason it is gone and not that they cleansed themselves of ignorance.
“A feature of Northern Irish politics since the Agreement has been the eclipse in electoral terms of the relatively moderate parties, such as the Social Democratic and Labour Party and Ulster Unionist Party, by more extreme parties—Sinn Féin and the DUP. Similarly, although political violence is greatly reduced, sectarian animosity has not disappeared. Residential areas are more segregated between Catholic nationalists and Protestant unionists than ever.
Because of this, progress towards restoring the power-sharing institutions has been slow and tortuous. Though the “peace process” is slow-going, movements have formed which give those affected by the Troubles a voice in their communities. In particular, the Corrymeela Community in Ballycastle teaches the prejudice-reduction model, which has been adopted by the Ulster Project International to improve relations between Protestant and Catholic families across the country.”
Perhaps you can shed more light on it. Admittedly, I am simply scanning for info.
Posted by: Traffic Cop Timmy | July 12, 2009, 2:30 am 2:30 am
Timmy . ..
I’m talking about a local neighborhood here in America where the past generation attempted to pass along their ignorances to the kids. Protestants weren’t supposed to marry Catholics, Catholics were alleged to believe Protestants went to hell, President John F. Kennedy was ‘dangerous’ because he was Catholic – all this nonsense. John Kennedy was hated by the bigots in the United States simply for being Catholic.
What happened was very simple. All us kids Catholic and Protestant played together and liked each other. We found out it was all a bunch of malarkey. Same as if you get to hang out with people of any other culture. You may not immediately understand their mannerisms or their accents, but through interacting you will find out they have beautiful children just like you, they simply want a good life for themselves and their family.
As we’ve discussed before, their are extremists in every religion and culture – and to be avoided whenever possible – you will find extremist pentacosts, extremist mulsims, extremist jews – MOST THINK THEY’RE THE CHOSEN ONES.
These people have little desire to accommodate and learn about others, cling to their beliefs with an iron fist, and mostly feel SUPERIOR and have a desire to fight and destroy the other. The other is evil to them. Sad.
Again, all of this is brainwashing and can easily be undone over a generation or two.
This is the great hope, and what was expressed on this trip to the slave castle in Ghana. A few short generations ago Africans were removed from their homelands and enslaved in America.
Today a descendant of those American slaves is the first lady in the White House. This is a great victory for those on the side of freedom, liberty and equality.
This shows how we evolve and learn as a species, how we shed prejudices and nonsense and move forward into a brighter and less bigoted future.
My children are moving far beyond me – it’s brilliant.
Posted by: danita | July 12, 2009, 3:17 am 3:17 am
I did not vote for President Obama. But i do not diminish or undermine the relevance of this incredible moment in history.
Posted by: mae g | July 12, 2009, 4:02 am 4:02 am
Obama’s Afican father came to America as a free man, got a free US education, married a 17-year old American woman, had a child by her, then deserted her and the child to return to Africa.
Posted by: sally j | July 12, 2009, 2:15 pm 2:15 pm
“Obama’s Afican father came to America as a free man, got a free US education, married a 17-year old American woman, had a child by her, then deserted her and the child to return to Africa.”
Techinically he didn’t marry her, since he was already married to someone else at the time. But we can pretend.
Posted by: paul | July 12, 2009, 2:27 pm 2:27 pm
Danita, I understand the process and you expressed it admirably. You did not however, address this statement.
“existing ignorances are simply replaced by others”
None of us know what prejudices await us and future generations. Each generation has its own to deal with. 9/11 proved that Middle Easterners who were accepted here in the U.S. became targets of prejudice and retribution. What events will trigger the next generation of prejudices?
I believe that one positive aspect of the social immigration you mention is (if you allow me this phrase) the mixing of ethnicities. It has been mentioned by others on this blog. As younger generations grow, rejecting the prejudices of their parents and grandparents, they mingle socially and relationally.
But greed, evil, sin whatever you wish to call it will always be a stumbling block that can IMO never be eradicated.
Posted by: Traffic Cop Timmy | July 12, 2009, 2:29 pm 2:29 pm
“Obama’s Afican father came to America as a free man, got a free US education, married a 17-year old American woman, had a child by her, then deserted her and the child to return to Africa.”
Techinically he didn’t marry her, since he was already married to someone else at the time. But we can pretend.
Posted by: paul | Jul 12, 2009 2:27:20 PM
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While I disagree with much of Mr. Obama’s political career and his current agenda, he was able to break the cycle with what appears to be a strong sense of family.
Posted by: Traffic Cop Timmy | July 12, 2009, 2:39 pm 2:39 pm
Why shouldn’t Obama commit $$ for healthcare over there? You live in America, you have PLENTY of privileges! Just because one year, things are “tough” you’re running around crying instead of making the most of what you got and working harder. Just because Obama commits this little amount of money over there doesn’t mean you’re going to stop getting your starbucks. People around the world live for decades in the economic situation you might be experiencing in the last few months. Get off the computer, go get a job and feed your family and stop looking for where to lay blame!
Posted by: Ini | July 13, 2009, 5:43 pm 5:43 pm