The Krio Descendants Union

Where the Heart Is

…The Krio of Sierra Leone

The Krio of Sierra Leone has a long and storied history. In the late 18th century led by stalwarts such as William Wilberforce, the abolitionist movement in Britain was it's moral and political Apex. Ruling on a court brief, Lord Chief Justice Mansfield stated any slave who reached British soil would be regarded as free men. Abolitionists buoyed by their legal victory moved on to the next phase, the voluntary repatriation of ex-slaves to Africa.

The British Navy played a pivotal role in stemming the flow of human cargo on the high seas. Liberated slaves from the Caribbean, American slaves who had escaped to Canada and emancipated slaves residing in Britain formed the first resettlement group. Many were educated, skilled laborer and artisans. In 1787 girded with supplies and faith, 411 prodigal souls landed at Kruman’s Bay on Sierra Leone’s Atlantic coast.

Captain Thompson negotiated a land grant from King Tom a local Temne chief. The first settlement known as Granville Town had its share of problems and many settlers died from disease and hardship through subsequent generations, colonialism and civil war the Krio legacy and culture have endured.

The Krio today are spread throughout the world, the impetus for leaving being the pursuit of economic and educational opportunities, however, no matter the distance. The need to forge connections and help the less fortunate back home remains strong.

Alumni of Sierra Leone’s most famous schools such as, Annie Walsh, Prince of Wales and the Grammar School host charitable events. Proceeds raised fund scholarships, computers and educational supplies.

The Krio Descendants Union KDU mission is much broader in scope. With chapters in Europe and North America, the KDU seeks to provide not only educational resources but also materials that make a difference in the lives of everyday citizens... Through private and corporate donors much-needed foodstuffs, medical supplies, and clothing. Dedicated KDU volunteers are imbued with a sense of “giving back” and love for their ancestral homeland. Charity galas provide social interaction also political forums. These exchanges foster ideas on how to improve the lot of Sierra Leoneans. It is impossible to understate the social component that the KDU engenders. At its many worldwide functions relatives and old friends have the chance to renew familial and cultural bonds.

Within their core KDU members are selfless individuals dedicated and unified by one vision, keeping the Krio culture alive and improving the lives of all Sierra Leoneans. Groups like the Krio Descendants Union foster an unflappable sense of optimism that fuels hope for better days ahead.

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“The Most Influential Community in Sierra Leone: The Krio People.”

— Joshoid /UPDATED:

The Krio People, also known as the Sierra Leone Creoles, are descendants of African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, and Africans who were rescued by anti-slavery patrols from the West Africa Squadron of the British Royal Navy.

Today, the Krio people number over 100,000 people and make up about 1.2 percent of the Sierra Leonean population.

The Krio People, along with the Americo-Liberians are regarded as the only recognized ethnic group of African American, Liberated African, and Afro-Caribbean descent in West Africa.

The first to find a colony in Sierra Leone were 411 African American and Afro-Caribbean settlers who arrived in the year 1787. These settlers partly consisted of African Americans who had joined British forces during the American Revolutionary War and were promised freedom from enslavement.

These settlers arrived in successive waves to the Western area of Sierra Leone and, in the year 1792, the city of Freetown was founded by Nova Scotian Settlers.

The Nova Scotian Settlers were formerly enslaved African Americans who joined British forces during the American Revolutionary War. After the British lost the American War of Independence, they kept their promise to the former slaves and resettled them mainly in Nova Scotia, Canada.

In later years, many of these African Americans migrated to Sierra Leone and usually referred to themselves as ‘Nova Scotians.’

The next arrivals were Jamaican Maroons, who were descendants of Africans who freed themselves from slavery in the Colony of Jamaica and established communities of free black people in the island's mountainous interior. Around 600 were deported by British authorities in Jamaica and were resettled in Sierra Leone.

Later on, many Afro-Caribbean immigrants from Barbados, the Bahamas, and Bermuda migrated to Sierra Leone and settled in settlements across the Freetown peninsula throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

The last major group of immigrants to Sierra Leone was the Liberated Africans or ‘Recaptives.’ They originated mainly from many West African ethnic groups, particularly the Yoruba People, the Akan People, the Ibo People, and the Fulani people.