The President of the United States and the First Lady in the House of Slaves of Goré, Senegal

It is very striking that those who today appear at the “no return gate” in the House of Slaves are the President and First Lady of the United States. 

The most horrifying offenses committed against human beings are just left to our permanent memory. We now see that black people embody such powerful worldwide symbols like Nelson Mandela, imprisoned for 27 years for his dark skin, and the leader of the most powerful country on Earth. 

Those painful memories are left behind but they should always be kept alive to guide our daily behavior. 

In July 1992 I wrote a poem in the Island of Goré, a place declared as World Heritage by UNESCO: 

His last

glance 

before lying down 

in the hold. 

His last 

look 

through the narrow 

doorway 

 at the island 

that land 

of his 

now sailing 

through waves of indifference 

towards unknown shores. 

We still hear 

today those sobs, 

still see 

the last traveller’s glance 

uprooted 

brutally 

from his land, 

from his home, 

from his shores. 

They were sold 

by weight. 

We must 

pay the debt. 

This is the true debt of our past. It must inspire future paths.