Residents > African American Heritage > Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial > Dedication Remarks

Dear Friends,

As Mayor of Annapolis, it is a great privilege to welcome you to this beautiful and historic City, such a very special place. If you look up the hill you see our State House, the oldest in the country in continuous use. Last week, we had nasty thunderstorm and that magnificent dome was nearly struck by lightning. Fortunately, it was diverted, thanks to a rod designed by Benjamin Franklin, that resourceful Founding Father who frequented our town. Annapolis is where the Treaty of Paris was signed, establishing a democracy for a freedom loving people. And here today, we openly acknowledge we didn't always grant that precious privilege to others. In doing so, we honor what we learned from those denied that basic human right.

About 35 years ago, I was First Lady of Annapolis and involved in a lot of community activities. Through a mutual friend, I met a historian - a writer - who was doing research at the Hall of Records, very close to that symbol of freedom up the hill. I learned first hand of his fascinating quest to trace an ancestor who arrived in our harbor to be sold into slavery. So on many occasions, while he worked here in Annapolis, Alex Haley enthralled me with tales of his family that had been handed down for generations.

He was an extraordinary storyteller and teacher. The world remembers him for his writing ability, but any of you who ever spoke with him would agree – he knew how to connect with you through his stories. He knew how to reach you with their lessons. He knew how to teach you with their values.

He still does.

As Mayor, it is a great privilege to accept this Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial as a gift to the City of Annapolis from the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation. We recognize with this comes the responsibility of living by the lessons it teaches, and sharing the message it conveys to our citizens, our neighbors, and our many visitors from throughout the world. We invite the challenge of this mission just as we accept stewardship of this memorial.

The work you see here is a reflection of the values we all hold dear. Our nation must never forget its past, nor what we learned from it. While the days of slavery are recognized as a sad part of our history, they offer an insight to the indomitable spirt and quest for survival that distinguished the African ancestors of so many of our fellow citizens. Their struggle is part of our heritage. Their culture is a part of our lives. Their presence is with us all today.

If you are here today as a descendant of an enslaved African, stand proud and tall – for you represent the character and determination of a spirit and pride which Alex Haley so eloquently captured in his Pulitzer prize-winning book, Roots.

I doubt there is any city in the world which has placed its value statements in such a highly visible, easily accessible public setting. We appreciate the opportunity to share them, and to let others ponder their meaning. It is our sincere hope – and expectation – that this Story Wall of values derived from the saga of Roots will inspire us now – regardless of the places we came from and the circumstances which brought us here - and will continue to provide a moral compass for generations yet unborn.

Ellen O. Moyer
Mayor City of Annapolis