Tucker Family Angola Heritage Tours

The Tucker family traces our lineage to Angola, Africa.  The Tucker Family Heritage Tour was created to share the untold narratives of the Atlantic diaspora as told by the Angolans.  Participants walk a route of the enslaved, tour museums, discuss the history of Angola and the leadership of Queen Njinga Mbandi, experience the culture, embrace the people, visit natural and historic landmarks, and so much more.

The tour is hosted by Tucker family members in partnership with Angola’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the American Chamber of Commerce-Angola. 

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE “ANGOLAN-AMERICAN” DELEGATION VISITING LUANDA, KWANZA NORTE and MALANJE FROM HAMPTON, VIRGINIA (USA) BETWEEN JUNE 21st and June 30th 2024

1. The “First African American Family” returns to its roots again on the family’s annual sojourn to the Land of Queen Njinga.

2. The ancestors of the Tucker family arrived in what today is known as Hampton, Virginia in August 1619 on the ship named the “White Lion”. On that ship there were 20 + Angolans including Isabela and Antonio to whom the Tucker Family traces their ancestry.

3. Representatives of the City of Hampton, including the Vice Mayor of the City of Hampton form part of this delegation and are here to continue with the negotiations of a sister city relationship with Malanje and potentially Kwanza Norte. These representatives from the City of Hampton Virginia will meet with the Governor of Malanje and other members of the Provincial Government of Malanje.

4. In August 2024, the City of Hampton will hold a ceremony to initiate the construction of a Landing Memorial in Hampton, Virginia commemorating the Angolan landing in August 1619. As a sign of unity and partnership, the City of Hampton and the Tucker Family have invited Angolan leaders to participate in this event in August.

5. The President & Chief Engagement Officer of the Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council is accompanying this delegation and seeking out potential business partnerships.

6. The King of the Ndongo people will receive the delegation at the Pedras Negras of Pungo Ndongo.

7. The U.S. Ambassador to Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe will receive representatives of the delegation.

8. The Delegation will be visiting the Calandula Falls in Malanje, the Black Rocks of Pungo Ndongo in Malanje, the Laúca Hidro-Electric Dam in Malanje, Massangano in Kwanza Norte, The Slave Museum in Luanda, the Miradouro da Lua in Luanda, and the New International Airport in Luanda among other sights and destinations.

The Tucker family and the delegation are committed to bringing the U.S. and Angola together in a people-to-people relationship based on common history, common identity and common culture. In this regard, they are firmly committed to bringing increased awareness and attention to the remarkable Angolan destinations that are critical to universal human history and collective memory such as Massangano, Pungo Ndongo and the Kwanza River Corridor. Moreover, they are committed to raising awareness of the four hundred + years of common history and collective memory that both nations share. It must be remembered that this relationship has been in existence well before both nations even existed.

It is critical for everyone on both sides of the Atlantic to understand this profound common history and embrace and promote the common shared identity. Even more, both sides should let the world know the following:

“The first African-American Family is Angolan 🇦🇴 ”

“The origin of Black America 🇺🇸 is Angola 🇦🇴 ”

Original Board Member Tour (2021)

The Republic of Angola invited three (3) William Tucker 1624 Society members (Vincent Tucker, Carolita Jones Cope, and Wanda Tucker) to visit.

Family & Friends Tour (December 2022)

Nineteen Tucker family members and special friends joined us for our first Tucker Family Angola Heritage Tour where we received a special blessing, in the Province of Malange, from King Ngola Kiluanji and a special cultural welcome at the Kahombo Resort Rural.

John Marshall High School Trip (August 2023)

In addition to a life-changing trip, the delegation from John Marshall High School, in Richmond, VA, participated in a special student exchange when the boys’ and girls’ basketball team played an exhibition game against Angola teams in Luanda.