Liberated Africans on the Gambia River

Liza Gijanto

At the April 18 CCASM meeting Dr. Liza Gijanto told us the history of the "Liberated Africans" in West Africa.  In order to abolish the transatlantic slave trade Africans were removed from slave ships and slave centers and taken to locations such as Gambia where they would often be indentured.  Dr. Gijanto and her students excavated sites owned or related to two Liberated African families in the 19th and 20th century.  The families had slightly different histories, and the material culture associated with the families were also different.  The two sites were in the settlement of Banjul, the capital of The Gambia

Two locations in Banjul
where archaeology was done

Dr. Liza Gijanto is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at St. Mary's College of Maryland.

Can spread out when more people attend via Zoom

This was our fourth hybrid Zoom/in-person meeting, but it was a little different since the speaker also attended via Zoom.  Thanks to Peggy for providing the hot spot.  And thanks to Jim for using his account to set up the Zoom meeting.

Attendance: 15 (including 7 via Zoom)