Jekyll Island in Glynn County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Taken From Africa
Wanderer Memory Trail
My parents named me Umwalla. I was 10 when strangers took me away in ropes to be sold. I never saw my family again.
The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade was the largest forced migration of people in world history.
For 350 years slave traders raided African villages, capturing millions of men, women, and children. Many of these people were taken to America and sold to plantation owners in the American South.
In 1807, it became illegal to import enslaved Africans into the United States. Despite the law, many Americans continued to profit from the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.
In 1858, the owners of the yacht Wanderer, changed it into a slave ship. They sent it to the coast of Africa to buy captives to sell in Georgia.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1858.
Location. 31° 1.298′ N, 81° 26.038′ W. Marker is on Jekyll Island, Georgia, in Glynn County. Marker can be reached from Beach View Drive, 0.1 miles north of South Riverview Drive. Marker is located along the Wanderer Memory Trail, just north of the parking lot at St. Andrews Beach Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 South Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island GA 31527, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Survivors of the Wanderer (here, next to this marker); Wanderer Memory Trail (a few steps from this marker); Marched to the Sea (a few steps from this marker); The Wanderer — Timeline (a few steps from this marker); The Wanderer — Timeline: Continued (a few steps from this marker); The Wanderer — Cilucangy: Ward Lee (a few steps from this marker); The Wanderer — What Happened to the Survivors: Their Stories (within shouting distance of this marker); The Wanderer — Built For Speed (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Jekyll Island.
Regarding Taken From Africa. The UNESCO Slave Route Project: Resistance, Liberty, Heritage. This site fulfils the quality criteria set by the UNESCO Slave Route Project in conjunction with the International Network of Managers of Sites and Itineraries of Memory.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Wanderer Memory Trail
Also see . . .
1. Wanderer Memory Trail. Jekyll Island website entry:
The trail is located along the banks of the Jekyll River where the ship illegally came ashore 160 years ago with more than 500 enslaved Africans. (Submitted on March 16, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Wanderer. New Georgia Encyclopedia website entry (Submitted on June 14, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 14, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 16, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 205 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on March 16, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.