The Kunta Kinte - Alex Haley Memorial
The Kunta Kinte - Alex Haley Memorial
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12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.0
298 reviews
Excellent
129
Very good
102
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59
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5
Terrible
3
Holly W
Reading, PA487 contributions
Jul 2021
A lovely thing to see and enjoy as you recall watching that groundbreaking series Roots. It evokes the beginning of a new conversation that changed America. It's n a joy knowing how this author impacted history.
Written February 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bill B
Bel Air, MD19,155 contributions
Jul 2023 • Friends
The Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial is located at the City Dock and consists of both statuary and a story wall of plaques containing quotes from Roots and contextual explanations. The statue of Alex Haley reading to children is inspiring. The Memorial is dedicated to African ancestors. According to the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation that helped establish this Memorial, it is the only one in the entire country that commemorates the actual name and place of arrival of an enslaved African. It is impressive that such an important part of US history is so accessible to people of all ages.
Written July 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
F4981JCmichaels
Vancouver, WA2,681 contributions
Jun 2021
We saw two Alex Haley statues on this trip. The other was in Knoxville, Tennessee, which was larger, but not as charming as this one. As a first time visitor to Annapolis, I thought it said a lot about Annapolis' attitude toward diversity, especially that this is located right where all the tourist things are, as well as lots of expensive things, such as expensive boats and cars, and the majority of the people one sees here are white. They could have located this in a different neighborhood, far from the day to day bustle, and out of sight of the tourists. (That's what they did in Tennessee.) Instead, they displayed it proudly where everyone could see it. Way to go Annapolis!
Written October 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BaltimoreFats
Baltimore28 contributions
How do rate a statue? Remember, that is all this is. Its location is the marina in the heart of the downtown, the "inner harbor" of downtown Annapolis. So it is a nice place to take in the sites anyway, and you will pass it if you are down there.
Anyone moved by Roots will appreciate this. Kunta is a memorable and well-rounded character, played really well by that guy from Star Trek, and James from Good Times. You never forget those scenes, which I won't recount in case children are reading, but many of us had broken hearts and cried, and in the middle of the racist 1970's nonetheless. Roots was transformational. The memorial is therefore warranted, and if you look at these statues and can relate to those times, then take 5 minutes or so, and remember one day before the beautiful harbor with all of well-dressed navy men and good times and fancy boats, people got sold there to be enslaved for their entire lives and thank god we live in a better country, than 1680's or the 1970's for that matter.
Anyone moved by Roots will appreciate this. Kunta is a memorable and well-rounded character, played really well by that guy from Star Trek, and James from Good Times. You never forget those scenes, which I won't recount in case children are reading, but many of us had broken hearts and cried, and in the middle of the racist 1970's nonetheless. Roots was transformational. The memorial is therefore warranted, and if you look at these statues and can relate to those times, then take 5 minutes or so, and remember one day before the beautiful harbor with all of well-dressed navy men and good times and fancy boats, people got sold there to be enslaved for their entire lives and thank god we live in a better country, than 1680's or the 1970's for that matter.
Written March 13, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
llpupa
Beaufort, SC1,970 contributions
Apr 2014 • Friends
I wish people would read everything before they make snap judgements about an attraction such as this. The book "Roots" was based on the Alex Haley's ancestors (particularly Kunta Kinte) who were brought to Annapolis Harbor, under extreme conditions on slave ships from Africa. The historic Market House that now serves as a food court of sorts, used to be near where the newly arrived slaves were auctioned off to the highest bidder. "Roots" really was an incredible book and mini series, that really brought the issue of slavery to the masses in a mesmerizing, haunting, and painful way.....
Written May 14, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve C
Annapolis, MD642 contributions
Sep 2016 • Couples
Annapolis was an American slave port. A really big slave port in the dark days of this country. At the same time, a third of the African-American population of Annapolis was free. The town was clearly conflicted on the matter of freedom.
Nevertheless, thousands of Africans who survived the terrible passage from Africa to America were sold at auction along the Annapolis waterfront.
An African-American scholar and writer named Alex Haley came to Annapolis in the 60s and began researching his family tree, using records from the Hall of Records in Annapolis. He discovered that he was descended from an African named Kunta Kinte. And from that noble discovery sprang the book and movie "Roots".
The Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial, which sits at the water's edge at the Annapolis City Dock is the only one of its kind that actually documents the name of an African-American slave Kunta Kinte, and the place of his arrival in Annapolis in 1767. The memorial was conceived and initiated by Leonard Blackshear, designed by Annapolitans Peter Tasi and Gary Schwertzler, aided by artist Patricia McHold and writer Wiley Hall III. This bronze statue of a seated Alex Haley, reading to three small children was sculpted by Edward Dwight, a test pilot for the USAF, and the first African-American trained as an astronaut. Ten bronze plaques along Compromise Street and the Harbor offer stories and valuable insights from the book Roots by Alex Haley.
At the end of the story panels is the Fawcett Building Mural – This image of a 1960’s era City Dock Farmers’ Market by an unknown photographer was commissioned by the Art in Public Places Commission with the support of the Farmers’ Market, in 2006.
The Kunta Kinte Memorial is a three part piece. There the sculpture of Haley reading to the kids. And there are the story panels along the sea wall. The third part sits across the street at Market House Plaza where you will find the Compass Rose, a bronze and granite Compass Rose. Late in life, sculptor Edward Dwight received a Fine Arts Degree from the University of Denver. A figurative artist, his early work portrays the history of Jazz. His studio is in Denver, Colorado.
This is a good place to grab a bite to eat in the Market House, utilize the public bathrooms, and lounge in the little park by the Compass rose, people watching and enjoying a day by the Bay.
Nevertheless, thousands of Africans who survived the terrible passage from Africa to America were sold at auction along the Annapolis waterfront.
An African-American scholar and writer named Alex Haley came to Annapolis in the 60s and began researching his family tree, using records from the Hall of Records in Annapolis. He discovered that he was descended from an African named Kunta Kinte. And from that noble discovery sprang the book and movie "Roots".
The Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial, which sits at the water's edge at the Annapolis City Dock is the only one of its kind that actually documents the name of an African-American slave Kunta Kinte, and the place of his arrival in Annapolis in 1767. The memorial was conceived and initiated by Leonard Blackshear, designed by Annapolitans Peter Tasi and Gary Schwertzler, aided by artist Patricia McHold and writer Wiley Hall III. This bronze statue of a seated Alex Haley, reading to three small children was sculpted by Edward Dwight, a test pilot for the USAF, and the first African-American trained as an astronaut. Ten bronze plaques along Compromise Street and the Harbor offer stories and valuable insights from the book Roots by Alex Haley.
At the end of the story panels is the Fawcett Building Mural – This image of a 1960’s era City Dock Farmers’ Market by an unknown photographer was commissioned by the Art in Public Places Commission with the support of the Farmers’ Market, in 2006.
The Kunta Kinte Memorial is a three part piece. There the sculpture of Haley reading to the kids. And there are the story panels along the sea wall. The third part sits across the street at Market House Plaza where you will find the Compass Rose, a bronze and granite Compass Rose. Late in life, sculptor Edward Dwight received a Fine Arts Degree from the University of Denver. A figurative artist, his early work portrays the history of Jazz. His studio is in Denver, Colorado.
This is a good place to grab a bite to eat in the Market House, utilize the public bathrooms, and lounge in the little park by the Compass rose, people watching and enjoying a day by the Bay.
Written September 19, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris Dietz
Washington DC, DC130 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
The best part for us was the quote about sharing heritage stories with children. So accurate and true!
Written June 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sirpres
Texas116 contributions
Jun 2018
A nice memorial, showing Mr. Haley telling the story of his family to children sitting around him. A good way to show this part of the history of America for years to come...long after the TV series 'Roots'.
Written May 12, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MillseyDea
Fishers, IN147 contributions
Apr 2019 • Friends
“Your sweet grandma and all of them - they’re up there watching you.”
This beautiful memorial to Alex Haley at the City Dock in Annapolis is about maintaining strong family connections and preserving and honoring one's family history and cultural heritage. There is also a story wall and a compass rose pointing true north - this seems to be a common theme here in this historic part of our country. Lovely day. So glad to visit this place again.
This beautiful memorial to Alex Haley at the City Dock in Annapolis is about maintaining strong family connections and preserving and honoring one's family history and cultural heritage. There is also a story wall and a compass rose pointing true north - this seems to be a common theme here in this historic part of our country. Lovely day. So glad to visit this place again.
Written April 30, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adam R
Annapolis, MD101 contributions
Jan 2018 • Solo
Should you be walking in downtown Annapolis, approaching ego alley, you can't miss this memorial to Alex Haley and his contribution to understanding our very complex and often troubled history. It only takes a few minutes to see and to contemplate. It is well worth it.
Written January 4, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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