Olaudah Equiano Feb 1745 31 March 1797 First

Olaudah Equiano Feb. 1745 - 31 March 1797

¡ ¡ First African writer to reach sizeable American audience. Unfortunately, new evidence points to the fact that Equiano may have invented some of what he wrote. Born in Essaka, West Africa (Nigeria) – father was an Ibo warrior who owned slaves. Kidnapped with sister and enslaved at age 11 – various African owners – transported to Barbados on a slave ship (Middle Passage) 1754 - Sold to a British military officer Michael Pascal who renamed him Gustavus Vassa and taught him how to read and write – served during the Seven Years War between England France, gaining seaman skills – his job was to run gunpowder to the gundecks during battles.

¡ ¡ 1762 – Officer promises Olaudah freedom but he tricked him and sold him to a ship’s captain. That slavery was so bad that he felt his other service had been “perfect freedom. ” Purchased by a Robert King, a Quaker merchant from Philadelphia– Olaudah gauged weights and measures and earned his freedom in 1766 at age 21 (40 pounds). Expeditions to the Arctic and Central America – in 1773 sailed on the Racehorse with Capt. John Phipps and to find the North Pole – Horatio Nelson also on the ship. Settled in England – servant, musician, barber – active in anti-slave groups – took on the Methodist faith and went to Nicaragua in 1775 to convert the natives there. Owned a plantation and bought slaves to work it – he was a humane slave owner, however.

Instrumental in exposing the actions of slave crews, especially the habit of throwing live cargo overboard to collect insurance money. ¡ Wrote his autobiography in 1789 – considered the first great black autobiography. ¡ 7 April 1792 – marriage to Englishwoman Susanna Cullen (a white woman) – fathered two daughters (Anna Maria and Joanna). Left a sizeable inheritance when he died on 31 March, 1797, just 12 days before slavery was abolished in England. ¡