Is Sierra Leone the escape plan for Black Americans?

For African Americans looking to leave the U.S. in search of peace, purpose, or a chance to build generational wealth, Sierra Leone could be a place to relocate to and connect with locals, who say they are ready to welcome Black Americans to their ancestral homes.

- EDEN HARRIS

Baindu Amara, a local Sierra Leonean woman and owner of a boutique “arts and crafts business” along Kallon Junction Beach Road in Aberdeen, says she wants to connect with Black Americans looking to return to Africa through her artistry and by telling them the country’s history.

“One thing [I want to do] is to teach them what I am doing, to show them that this is my craft, this is what I do for a living, then to take them to see some of the beaches we have here, the hotels, and some other things,” she said.

Sierra Leone has a host of 4-star hotels such as the Mamba Point Hotel Lagoonda. This hotel offers seaside views overlooking Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown. Guests from all over the United States, including Florida, and people in London, frequent this hotel for lodging, dinner and entertainment. The four-star hotel attracts locals to the Scarlet Lounge, which is adjacent to the hotel. It operates on Friday and Saturday.

Sierra Fofanah, an African American with Sierra Leonean roots, who is summering in the country, described the lounge as a go-to spot in the region.

“Scarlet [Lounge] is definitely a hotspot for people coming to Sierra Leone, it’s popular with the locals as well, not just expats or tourists, everybody ends up there at the end of the night. It's a go-to spot, if there is nothing else to do, or if you're just not sure, they have all sorts of events going on,” she said.

Fofanah, a former film and TV student at the University of the Arts London, says the lounge has “the typical club decorum, but if it’s a good night with a lot of people, it’s definitely instagrammable and can show off the vibes really well.”

Sierra Leone sees Black Americans as key to its future