Fort James, Jamestown – A Gateway to Ghana’s Turbulent Past

Standing on the rugged shoreline of Accra’s historic Jamestown district, Fort James remains one of Ghana’s most compelling reminders of the country’s complex and painful history. Built in 1673–1674 by the British Royal African Company, the fort was part of a network of coastal strongholds designed to control trade in the region—including the transatlantic slave trade, which would become one of humanity’s darkest chapters.

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Accra Jamestown: From Political Hotbed to Fading Glory, after the 1966 coup against Kwame Nkrumah

Jamestown

11/18/2025

Story by Remo Kurka - Jamestown, one of Accra’s oldest quarters, has long been more than a fishing community. It was a political and social crucible, a place where Ghana’s independence was fought for, debated, and ultimately won. From the colonial era to the present day, Jamestown has stood as a witness to history.

Fort James, Jamestown History & News page

For nearly two centuries, Fort James operated as a major point of capture, detention, and shipment of enslaved Africans. Within its thick walls, countless men, women, and children were held in cramped, airless dungeons before being forced onto ships bound for the Americas. The fort’s stark, stone architecture still reflects the harsh realities of its earliest function.
With the abolition of the slave trade in the 19th century, Fort James transitioned into a new, but still oppressive role:
a British colonial prison.
By the early 20th century, it had become one of the most notorious detention centers in the Gold Coast, used to hold civil offenders, political agitators, and sometimes resistance figures whose voices challenged colonial authority.
One of the most significant episodes in the fort’s later history occurred in January 1950, when the British arrested Dr. Kwame Nkrumah for his leadership in the Positive Action civil disobedience campaign. Nkrumah was initially confined at Fort James in a group cell alongside other political detainees. His stay here was short—approximately 14 days—but the symbolism was enormous. The man destined to lead Ghana to independence had begun his imprisonment among the colonial system’s most oppressive structures.

After his brief confinement at Fort James, Nkrumah was transferred to Ussher - See the Exact Cell were Kwame Nkrumah sat and smuggled notes on toilet paper!Fort, where he spent the remainder of his detention—from early 1950 until February 1951. It was from behind these prison walls that he directed the Convention People’s Party (CPP), won the historic 1951 general election, and ultimately emerged as the nation’s new Leader of Government Business.
Today, Fort James stands as a monument layered with centuries of difficult but essential history. Visitors can walk through the former slave dungeons, colonial cells, and guard towers and reflect on how the fort has shaped not only Ghana’s past, but also the narrative of resistance, resilience, and nationhood.

Whether approached as a heritage site, a place of remembrance, or a lesson in the endurance of the human spirit, Fort James remains an essential stop for those seeking to understand Ghana’s journey—from enslavement and colonial rule to political awakening and independence.

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Fort James, Jamestown History & News page

+233 549942584 | Accra

Fort James, Jamestown – A Gateway to Ghana’s Turbulent Past

News & History Blog Jamestown

Accra Jamestown: From Political Hotbed to Fading Glory, after the 1966 coup against Kwame Nkrumah

Jamestown

Fort James, Jamestown History & News page

A Dark History – Gold Coast