Steve Harvey, an American television host urges Americans looking at visiting Africa to make Ghana a priority.
Harvey views this West African country as the perfect getaway to the second-largest continent in Africa. Through it, he says you get a true representation of Africa’s beauty. For him, Ghana is the place with at least, half the history of Africa and its culture.
The Steve Harvey Show host implored that a visit to Ghana needs one to shed all preconceived ideas about Africa -before flying out. Why this matters, he adds, is because it shapes your perspective of things in Africa without bias upon arrival.
“Leave everything you’ve ever heard. After you go to Africa, you got to go to Ghana first,” Harvey maintains. His second destination in Africa is Botswana. “And then you need to go to Botswana because you need to see.”
Steve Harvey and his family in Ghana. Photo/Essence
Table of Contents
When Did Steve Harvey Come to Ghana?
Steve Harvey visited Ghana in 2019 together with his wife Marjorie. On their way back, Harvey and his crew filmed a season of their TV show Family Feud, which aired on TV3. Ghana marked the 400th anniversary this year in memory of African slaves – a majority of them from Ghana – to arrive in Virginia, US as the first batch of black slaves.
The anniversary popularly yielded the Year of Return celebration which highlights the sacrifice and tenacity African slaves fought for their place while in slavery. The Year of Return is an act of calling them back home. Travellers of African descent from the diaspora travel to Ghana to get in touch with their roots.
For Harvey and Marjorie, they visited the historic Elmina Slave Trade Castle synonymous with its slave-holding dungeons. Particularly, the “Door of No Return,” remains an emotional and soul-stripping sight. After seeing all this, Harvey feels that people of African descent in the US and Europe should visit Ghana often as a tribute to their ancestors.
He describes his Ghanaian trip as soul-stirring.
Where Did Steve Harvey Visit in Africa?
Together with his family, Steve and Marjorie Harvey visited various places in Ghana such as Accra. However, it is the Elmina Slave Trade Castle on the Western Coast of Ghana that touched him the most. The castle has a dark history of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade 400 years ago.
Steve Harvey outside the Elmina Slave Trade Castle in Ghana. Photo/Steve Harvey/IG
“This was real pain I felt going back to Ghana’s slave castles…I could feel my ancestors on me… Powerful beyond words that I can explain. I encourage as many of you as possible to go HOME for your ancestors. Their strength is in each of us and we must honour their ultimate sacrifice in all that we do,” he captioned a video of his trip at the castle.
His visit to Ghana taught him that Africans are no different from whites. Interacting, and spending time with them makes one understand all of this. That’s why the US TV host cautions travellers against coming to Africa with preconceived ideas.
Does Steve Harvey Come From Ghana?
Steve Harvey isn’t from Ghana, but he is of African American descent. Many people believe that he is from Ghana due to the passion he speaks with about this West African country. Harvey, 66, was born in Welch, West Virginia, United States. It in this state that a ship full of slaves docked at Jamestown harbour.
He, however, grew up in Cleveland but his early life of struggles informed him about the hard life people of colour cope with in America and Europe.
What Did Steve Harvey Say About Africa?
According to Steve Harvey, travelling to Africa puts one in touch with reality and the fulfilment of being at ease always.
“To wake up and not have to be conscious that you’re Black, just to be able to wake up, walk outside, and you’re just yourself today, you don’t have to filter that in,” he said.
