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Author Charles Sampson takes his readers into a look into his family history with a snapshot of Africa’s history.

The author’s trips to more than a dozen African countries are fascinating in Sparrows of Senegambia. The area once known as Senegambia, a historic designation for a geographical region in West Africa, is of great interest. 

About the Author

Charles Sampson, Ph.D., emeritus professor at the University of Missouri, the author who calls himself “an ardent observer of life in America,” writing this book presented him with tremendous opportunities for self-examination. “Sparrows of Senegambia” connects his birthplace, life, work, educational experiences, and above all, travels to many countries, particularly countries of Africa. His travels to Africa, most especially to the island of Gorée, Senegal, in 2005, as a member of the Consortium on International Management, Policy, and Development (CIMPAD) and Fulbright fellow, led him to confront the history of slavery, among other events that impacted him as an African-American.

The visit became a ‘gift’ as it fostered informed reflections on my past life,” the author wrote in his book. “Because I traveled to Gorée Island, I was able to connect that place in West Africa to Eucutta, MS, home of my paternal grandparents, and then to connect that place to a story of the descendants of Abe and Calline Sampson and the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of this American family. Africans from many different locations were brought to Gorée Island, sold into slavery, and held in the island’s holding warehouse until they were shipped across the Atlantic Ocean.”

The author’s great-great-grandfather was born on a slave plantation in Virginia. His son, Abe (the author’s paternal great-grandfather), was born on a plantation in Mississippi. He reflected at length on the slave trade and the victims it claimed.

“The history of my family can be traced to that island, first known as Senegambia and now called Gorée Island. During the African slave trade, Gorée Island became a slave-holding warehouse that became an important functional center for the trade of African children, women, and men; and millions of Africans from the West were taken against their will.” 

What His Readers Are Saying

“Sampson’s memoir is a thoroughly engaging, well-paced story. His siblings, friends, and travels feature prominently, and his thoughtful reflections are sprinkled throughout. While his own story—arriving nearly halfway through the book—might not grab readers as much as earlier stories that link to larger events, and his prose is occasionally repetitive with some tangents, these issues don’t detract from the overall quality of this first-rate memoir.”

“Sparrows of Senegambia deserves a place on shelves next to other nonfiction books about the African-American experience, told more fully and factually in the post-George Floyd world.”

“Sparrows of Senegambia is a comprehensive journey that will make you both laugh and cry. This well-written book is a slice of America that could be anyone’s journey. Still, in this case, Dr. Charles Sampson takes us beyond Mississippi to places that demonstrate the many untold stories we relive through his experiences.”

Author Bio

Charles Sampson, Ph.D., emeritus professor of Public Affairs and Black Studies, is a founding member of the Harry Truman School of Public Affairs, University of Missouri, USA. Dr. Sampson was also a founding member of the University of Missouri Department of Black Studies. His studies focused on urban and regional planning. He joined the MU faculty in the summer of 1988, initially serving as associate dean of the Graduate School and then dean from 1996-2000. During his decanal appointment, he sought and obtained greater than $15M in grants and contracts to support the enrollment of STEM graduate and undergraduate programs on campuses across Missouri.