Illinois House of Representatives member Carol Ammons has pledged to dedicate the rest of her public life to raising awareness about the origins and lasting impact of the transatlantic slave trade, while advocating for reparative justice for people of African descent.
She made the commitment following her enskinment as the Queen Mother for Peace and Development of the Paga Traditional Council in Ghana’s Upper East Region, after DNA testing linked her ancestry to the Nania community in Paga.
Describing the ceremony as a deeply emotional homecoming, Ammons said the experience strengthened her resolve to use her platform to push for reparations as a means of justice, healing, and development for Africa and its diaspora.
She stressed that reconnecting descendants of enslaved Africans with their ancestral roots is essential to addressing historical trauma and restoring identities that were erased during centuries of slavery.
“We have been pressed on every side, but we have not been crushed as a people… Forward ever, backward never,” she said, referencing Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
Ammons noted that her policy work focuses on areas such as healthcare, human services, and personal development, adding that her mission is to help restore dignity and opportunity in communities affected by historical injustices.
She further argued that the transatlantic slave trade should not only be understood from the point of capture at the coast but also from its deeper origins within African communities.
The ceremony in Paga marks a symbolic cultural reconnection between Africa and its diaspora, reinforcing ongoing conversations about identity, heritage, and reparative justice.
