Mahama Leads Wreath-Laying Ceremony in New York to Honour Victims of Slave Trade

President John Dramani Mahama has led a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the African Burial Ground National Monument in Lower Manhattan, paying tribute to the memory of nearly 20,000 Africans believed to be buried at the historic site.

The ceremony formed part of official engagements in New York centred on remembrance, justice, and advancing global discussions on reparatory justice for the descendants of enslaved Africans. Addressing the gathering, President Mahama honoured those laid to rest at the site, noting both enslaved and free Africans among the buried.

“We lay down this wreath to honour the memories of the nearly 20,000 Africans who are buried on these grounds, some of whom were free but most of whom were enslaved,” he stated.

President Mahama further reflected on Ghana’s deep historical ties to the Transatlantic Slave Trade, highlighting that Ghana is home to more than thirty slave castles and forts—more than any other African country—underscoring the likelihood that many of those enslaved passed through, or originated from, present-day Ghana. In a poignant call to remembrance, he added:

“We lay down this wreath in remembrance of all the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade—the men, women, and children who were taken from their lives and from those who loved them to be enslaved in a foreign land; and also, the people to whom they belonged… whose lives were forever altered.”

The ceremony drew dignitaries and members of the African diaspora, who joined in paying respects to the victims of slavery, while reaffirming calls for historical recognition, healing, and reparative justice.