Exploring Memory and Education in Ghana: The Atlantic Slave Trade Mosaic
Back row, left to right: Reed Stone, Maia Washington, Kiersten Kahn, Gracie Kummer, Cherice Clarke, Prof. Jeremy Ball. Front row, left to right: Prof. Jacquie Forbes, Ella Layton, Natalia Donia, Destiny McFalls, Kylie De La Cruz, Prof. Akosua Keseboa Darkwah (University of Ghana). Photo courtesy of Professor Jeremy Ball (right, rear).
A deep dive into history takes students to historically significant sites in Ghana for fieldwork
by Tony Moore
How is the history of the Atlantic Slave Trade taught and remembered on either side of the ocean, in both the United States and Ghana?
That was the guiding question for the nine Dickinson students who participated in the Atlantic Slave Trade Ghana Mosaic this past January. Led by Associate Professor of History Jeremy Ball and Assistant Professor of Educational Studies Jacquie Forbes, this immersive program took students to historically significant sites in Ghana, engaging them in fieldwork that deepened their understanding of the transatlantic slave trade and its enduring legacies.
“Mosaics are such a unique experience, because being face-to-face with what you've learned about adds another layer of dimension to learning,” says Reed Stone ’26 (educational studies, economics). “Some things can't be fully grasped by reading textbooks; going out and witnessing such concepts not only provides a deeper understanding of your class's content but unlocks new perspectives for you to see.”
The 10-day journey, spanning Accra and Cape Coast, Ghana, was a culmination of a semesterlong study in courses such as The Atlantic Slave Trade and Africans in the Making of the Atlantic World, 1450-1850, and Teaching Blackness: Race and the Contemporary Classroom. These interdisciplinary courses provided students with historical context and pedagogical tools to analyze how the past is memorialized and taught.
Walking Through History
In Ghana, students visited three of the most well-known former slave forts: Elmina Castle, Cape Coast Castle and Christiansborg Castle. These UNESCO World Heritage sites, once central to the transatlantic slave trade, provided powerful, firsthand encounters with history. Students evaluated exhibits, engaged with the local population and reflected on the ways these spaces shape public memory.
“Being on the ground, living and working in the African diaspora is essential to our discipline, and this Mosaic allowed me to be involved with the lives of Ghanaian people through education and museum work,” says Kiersten Kahn ’26 (Africana studies, English), noting that the homestay experience with a local family, facilitated by the Aya Centre in Accra, was one of the trip’s highlights. “And seeing the importance of narrative and site-specific educational experiences strengthened my interest in pursuing museum studies in the African diaspora.”
The group explored other significant historical and cultural sites as well, including the Assin Manso River, where enslaved Africans took their last baths before being sold; the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, honoring Ghana’s first president and a leader of African independence movements; the National History Museum; and the historic Mfantsipim School. They also visited ’57 Chocolate, an artisanal company owned by Priscilla Addison ’09 that emphasizes local production and economic empowerment.
Destiny McFalls '25 (left; Africana studies) listens to the group's guide, Ato Ashun, at Elmina Castle. Photo by Jeremy Ball.
From the Classroom to the World & Back
The students’ academic work did not end with their return to Dickinson. Using insights gained from their coursework and field experiences, they developed lesson plans focused on a Ghanaian site of memory. These plans incorporated historical analysis, primary sources, and discussions with seven Ghanaian academics they met during the trip.
The students shared their lesson plans with Delia Roper, a teacher at Carlisle High School who accompanied them to Ghana and teaches the AP African American Studies course. This collaboration underscores Dickinson’s commitment to connecting global experiences with local education, fostering a deeper, more nuanced understanding of history in the classroom.
“Creating lesson plans for the African American Studies course allowed us to directly impact the Carlisle community as well through our academic research,” says Kahn. “And this trip really made the ideas I learned about our Mosaic courses such as Pan-Africanism and fugitive pedagogy come alive.”
Challenges & Transformative Learning
The journey was not without its emotional and intellectual challenges. Standing in the dungeons where enslaved people were held before being shipped across the Atlantic was a sobering and deeply moving experience. The trip prompted critical discussions about how histories of oppression are taught, remembered and contested in different cultural contexts. Every aspect was eye-opening, and for Stone, hearing a new language was a big part of it.
“I'm a fanatic for learning languages, and it was really fascinating getting to learn the basics of a language that I have rarely heard about in the U.S.,” he says. “Language is also so intertwined with culture, and I enjoyed the immersion of trying to speak Twi, even if only a couple of words.”
Despite the often-weighty subject matter, the program also emphasized resilience, community and the agency of those who resisted slavery and shaped African and African diasporic identities. Students left Ghana not only with greater historical knowledge but also with a deepened sense of responsibility to engage with and teach these histories with care and integrity.
Looking Ahead
As Dickinson continues to expand its Global Mosaics programs (now named the Churchill Global Mosaic Program in honor of the philanthropic support the program has received from Dan and Betty Richardson Churchill '58), the Atlantic Slave Trade Ghana Mosaic stands as a powerful example of interdisciplinary, immersive learning. By bridging historical study, fieldwork and community engagement, the program equips students to critically examine the past and bring meaningful insights into their future academic and professional pursuits.
And what would Kahn tell students considering taking the plunge into the next Global Mosaic?
“I would tell them to take the opportunity in a heartbeat!” she says, noting that there’s no other educational experience like it. “Studying specific courses and then directly applying the knowledge outside of the classroom in such an immersive way has been invaluable, especially when Mosaics have a direct impact on your Dickinson experience and for communities across the world!”
TAKE THE NEXT STEPS
Published February 17, 2025