Sir John Hawkins is considered to be the first English slave trader. He left England in 1562 on the first of three slaving voyages. In 1563 he sold slaves in St Domingo, his second voyage was in 1564 and his final voyage was in 1567.

During these voyages he traded over 1000 slaves, many others died in transit.  He grew rich off the sacrifices forced on these people who were torn from their families and endured brutal treatment at the hands of their new owners.

It is appalling that we honour a life spent oppressing others, and yet the Hospital of Sir John Hawkins proudly bears the name of this notorious slave trader.  In 2006 his descendant Andrew Hawkins publicly apologized for his ancestor's actions in the slave trade and asked for forgiveness from the descendant's of the enslaved, this was accepted by the Vice President of Gambia at the International Roots Festival in frount of 25,000 people

In recognition that the true benefactors of the hospital were the people that were sold the hospital should be renamed in their honour, The International Roots Hospital.