President John Dramani Mahama has paid tribute to the memory of nearly 20,000 Africans buried at the African Burial Ground National Monument in Lower Manhattan, describing the site as a solemn reminder of a painful chapter in human history that must never be repeated.
Speaking during a wreath-laying ceremony on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, the President emphasized the need to preserve the memory of the transatlantic slave trade and reaffirm the collective resolve of Africans and people of African descent to resist all forms of inhumanity.
“It is a narrative that was, quite literally, branded, carved, burned, and beaten into the bones of people human beings including our ancestors who are buried here,” President Mahama stated. “We lay this wreath to honour the memories of the nearly 20,000 Africans interred on these grounds, some of whom were free, but most of whom were enslaved.”
He further underscored the broader impact of slavery, noting that the ceremony also honoured the millions of victims of the transatlantic slave trade.
“We remember the men, women, and children who were taken from their lives and from those who loved them, to be enslaved in a foreign land,” he said. “We also remember the families and communities they left behind mothers, fathers, grandparents, and children whose lives were forever altered by this tragic history.”
The solemn ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, African Union Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development H.E. Amma Twum-Amoah, Chair of the CARICOM Group H.E. Dr. Niel Nadesh Parsan, Ghana’s Ambassador to Washington, D.C., Victor Smith, Minister for Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Minister for Government Communications Felix Kwakye Ofosu, among others.
The event formed part of ongoing efforts to commemorate the resilience of African ancestors and to promote global awareness of the enduring legacy of slavery.
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
