Cape Coast Castle

In America, Black history is taught in a vacuum. The narrative that schools teach about our history is usually whitewashed, taught solely as an elective—never a part of the core curriculum—and often only once a year. Despite the undeniable contributions Black people have made to this country (and the world), Black stories continue to be erased. For some, this historical blockade to knowledge has led to a deep longing for the truth. Black travelers use travel as a tool for finding our way back to ourselves. Back to the parts of our history that we were never taught.  In Cape Coast, Ghana, both Cape Coast and Elmina Castles stand dotted along the Atlantic ocean. Cape Coast Castle was once controlled by Portugal, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Britain. The sprawling white structure was one of about 40 “slave castles” in the area: a holding place for enslaved people before being sold onto ships. Back then, it was a dungeon of terror and death. Today, it’s a remnant of a damning past. Just 13 kilometers away is Elmina Castle, the older of the two. The Dutch seized control in 1637, and over 30,000 enslaved Africans passed through Elmina’s castle alone every year. It’s hard to describe, but there is no other feeling comparable to the pride that fell onto my shoulders when I finally returned to the shores I was never meant to see again. No matter which castle you visit, both can be transformative experiences and shouldn’t be missed.  Today, Cape Coast is a lively fishing port city in the central region of Ghana. Despite its harrowing history, there is a unique sense of community and belonging shared by locals and Black travelers visiting. Cape Coast is home to over thirty-two festivals. One of its largest, Panafest, is a theatre festival that began in the 1980s to examine the longstanding effects of the slave trade. The festival is rooted in the pan-Africanist ideologies of W.E.B. DuBois. Panafest seeks to bridge the gap between Africans on the continent and the diaspora.