Description

This book seeks to capture the history of The Gambia over the past three hundred years through the life stories of men and women who have helped to shape the destiny of their country. The people profiled in this book were ordinary and unassuming Gambians; little could they have known that their actions would be counted one day by historians as central to the evolution of this country. A journey through this volume will lead to a critical understanding of Gambian history, spanning the pre-colonial slave trade to the resistance to European penetration, to the era of high colonial rule; to fermentations and nationalist awakening as precursors to independence. This book is a unique approach to interpreting history as it uses individual profiles to reveal the cartography of The Gambia. Patriots: Profiles of Eminent Gambians is therefore a monumental contribution to Gambian historiography. It sets a new paradigm in understanding and writing Gambian history. It is a well researched and packaged work which should be core reading for all persons interested in the history of this country.