On November 28, 1858, the Wanderer sailed into the St. Andrews Sound south of Jekyll Island. On board were roughly 400 enslaved Africans who were illegally imported to the United States in one of the most sensational and controversial moments in Jekyll Island history – and brought the island into the middle of the most heated moment in our country’s history.
The Wanderer Memorial includes a sculpture by artist Mario Schambon and three text panels describing this event, the sensational trial of the slave runners, and the fate and legacy of many of the enslaved Africans.
The Wanderer Memorial is located on the southern end of Jekyll Island in the St. Andrews Picnic area. It was dedicated on the 150th Anniversary of the ships landing in 2008. The Wanderer Memorial is made possible by the Jekyll Island Authority and the generosity of the Friends of Historic Jekyll Island.
Wanderer Survivors
The captives aboard the slave ship Wanderer, which landed on the south end of Jekyll Island, Georgia in 1858, were one of the last known groups of enslaved Africans sold into captivity in America. From Jekyll Island, many were sold to South Carolina. Read their stories »
Photo Gallery