The president stared out of the “Door of No Return” on Goree Island off the Senegalese coast, which was the last stop for millions of slaves sent to the New World.
Obama called the tour a "very powerful moment," according to a White House pool report. He said the visit helped him "fully appreciate the magnitude of the slave trade" and "get a sense in an intimate way" of the hardships slaves faced.
Via: Evan Vucci / AP
"Obviously, for an African-American, an African-American president, to be able to visit this site, I think, gives me even greater motivation in terms of human rights around the world," the president said.
Via: SAUL LOEB / Getty Images
Obama said the trip was a reminder that "we have to remain vigilant when it comes to the defense of human rights." He added "this is a testament to when we're not vigilant in defense of human rights what can happen."
Via: SAUL LOEB / Getty Images
Via: SAUL LOEB / Getty Images
