We invite you to join us in commemorating a pivotal moment in history that has left an indelible mark on the lives of African Americans and the Igbo people.
On Thursday, November 5th, 2025, we will be attending the Gullah Geechee people anniversary at Penn Center on St. Helena Island, South Carolina, where we will meet with leaders to discuss our shared heritage and a campaign to memorialise the site of a historic event.
THE GULLAH GEECHEE PEOPLE AND THEIR CONNECTION TO THE IGBO LANDING
The Gullah Geechee people are an African American ethnic group living in the Lowcountry region of the United States, particularly in the coastal areas and Sea Islands of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
They are direct descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans, including Igbo people, who were forcibly brought to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade.
Despite the brutal conditions of slavery, the Gullah Geechee people have retained many of their African cultural traditions, including their language, music, food, and spiritual practices.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE IGBO LANDING
The Igbo Landing, also known as Dunbar Creek, is a site on St. Simons Island, Georgia, where a group of enslaved Igbo people walked into the sea and drowned in May, 1803 rather than submit to slavery.
This event has become a powerful symbol of resistance and freedom for both the Gullah Geechee people and the Igbo people, representing a shared memory of the brutalities of slavery and the determination of enslaved people to resist their oppressors.
WHY THIS CAMPAIGN MATTERS
The campaign to memorialize the Igbo Landing is important for several reasons:
- SHARED ANCESTRY:
The Gullah Geechee people and the Igbo people share a common ancestry, and the Igbo Landing is a site that connects them to their African heritage. - HERITAGE PRESERVATION: The campaign aims to preserve the cultural heritage of both the Gullah Geechee people and the Igbo people by recognizing and honoring the history of the Igbo Landing.
- MEMORY AND COMMEMORATION:
The campaign seeks to create a memorial that will serve as a reminder of the brutalities of slavery and the resistance of enslaved people, providing a space for reflection on the significance of this event and its relevance to contemporary issues of social justice and human rights.
NOBEL LAUREATE, PROF. WOLE SOYINKA’S ENDORSEMENT
We are deeply grateful for the support of Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, who has thrown his immense weight behind our campaign.
Because of his massive global stature, his endorsement is a testament to the significance of this event and its relevance to our shared history.
Prof. Soyinka’s role in sensitizing local, national, and international stakeholders has been invaluable, and we are indebted to him for his dedication.
JOIN THE CAMPAIGN
We urge you to join us in this campaign by:
- Spreading awareness about the significance of this event
- Educating those in power and authority about its importance and urging them to act to honour our ancestors
- Supporting our efforts to provide a befitting burial for our heroic ancestors
A CALL TO ACTION
A funeral, in Igbo culture, is a prerequisite for full passage of the dead to the great beyond.
It is an abomination not to give our heroic ancestors a decent burial for 223 years and counting!
Let us come together to honor the memories of our ancestors and provide them with the dignity they deserve.
Ubochi Onye Kwalu Mmadu, Kwalu Onwe Ya, an Igbo saying which roughly translates as “the day you honor another is the day you honor yourself” suggests a principle of interconnectedness, where showing respect and esteem to others reflects a deeper self-acceptance and appreciation.
Please spread this message and join us in this noble endeavor.
Signed,
Ifeanyi Igwebike Mbanefo and Dr. Rosemary Nwangwu
For the Museums and Monuments Academy
