| Official Name: | Jufureh |
| Pushpin Map: | Gambia |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in the Gambia |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | The Gambia |
| Subdivision Name1: | North Bank Division |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Upper Niumi |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Ethnicities |
| Population Blank1: | Mandinka |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Religions |
| Population Blank2: | Islam |
| Coordinates: | 13.3386°N -16.3825°W |
| Elevation M: | 25 |
Jufureh (also spelled Juffureh or Juffure) is a town in the Gambia, 30 kilometers inland on the north bank of the River Gambia in the North Bank Division near Kunta Kinteh Island. The town is home to a museum and Fort Jillifree.
Jufureh is known for its appearance in Alex Haley's 1976 novel , as the birthplace of Haley's ancestor Kunta Kinte.[1] After the publication of Roots, Jufureh became a significant tourist destination. This led to economic benefits for the town, including the construction of an elementary school, a new market aimed at tourists, and improved roads.[2]
In 1651 a small plot of land from the village was leased by Jacob Kettler, the Duke of Courland, from the king of Kombo, as part of the Couronian colonization of Africa.[3]
Jufureh was a part of the Kingdom of Niumi and by the 18th century the town had become an important center of the Atlantic slave trade.[4] The Tall family of Jufureh traditionally held the position of falifo in the kingdom, and were responsible for collecting customs revenue from passing traders and adjudicating disputes.[5]
The town took part in the Marabout revolt launched in the 1860s against the Niumi king Buntung Jamme and as a result the town was razed by the royal forces.
Demographically, the predominant religion in the village is Islam. In 1999, a mosque and school, the Alex Haley Mosque and School Complex, was opened in Jufureh, where Haley traced back his ancestry through genealogical research.[6]