Introduction:
The old Fort of James Island (re-named Kunta Kinteh
Island in Gambia) is located about 30 km upstream on
the river
and is home to the ruins which once belonged to colonial
Britain. This was the last bit of African soil that
many slaves saw before being transported in the bowels
of transatlantic slave ships to the Americas.
History:
 The
area was 'discovered' in 1456 by the Portuguese navigators
Antoniotti Usodimare and Captains Luiz de Cadamosto
on their second expedition up the river Gambia. They
called it St. Andrews Island supposedly after a sailor
who had died and was buried there. The name was changed
by later European colonialist. It was purchased by the
Duke of Courland 200 years later after which the Baltic
Germans began building the fortifications in 1651 so
it could be used as a trading post between Latvia, Lithuania
and the local Africans.
It was seized by the British 10 years later in 1661
under the hands of the Royal Adventurers Of England
Trading Into Africa, who received a Royal Patent from
Charles II to buy ivory, gold and other commodities
as well as slaves. They renamed the island James Island
after the heir to the throne who was to become King
James III [1].
 The
significance of this take-over was James Island represented
Britain's first outpost in West Africa [2]. The island
subsequently changed hands many times over the next
two centuries particularly between the French and British.
In 1779 French troops based at the slave post of Albreda,
near Juffure,
were ordered to deal with the British once-and-for-all
and they were duly ejected for the last time from the
island and the French proceeded to destroy it. After
the passing of the abolition act of 1857 the British
moved their emphasis to fighting slavery and chose the
forts of Banjul
and Barra
to achieve this. By 1830's the island was abandoned
for good.
Present Day:
 Today,
on a visit to the island, the ruins of colonialism and
slavery can still be seen. There are caves and prisons
on the island where slaves were imprisoned before being
shipped off to the American colonies. There are also
some cannons standing in their military attack positions.
The island sadly is shrinking due to coastal erosion
and has reduced in size to a great extent compared to
its heyday as a slave collection point and trading post.
Travel Information
 A
trip to Kunta Kinteh Island [James Island] is usually
done as part of a 'roots tour' which also includes the
nearby villages of Juffure
and Albreda as well as to the museum.
It can be reached by taking a ferry
from Banjul to Barra
on the north bank of the river. From there a taxi or
other vehicle would take you by road to Juffureh. Accommodation
available are the Kunta Kinte Roots Camp or the Juffure
Guest House. There is a restaurant called the Rising
Sun Restaurant there.
The other route is to take a Roots cruise by boat upriver
directly to the island. These boats are run by local
operators based at Denton
Bridge.
References:
[1] Gambia - Michael Tomkinson
[2] Encyclopaedia Britannica 2014
Nearest Accommodation:
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