Olaudah Equiano’s book, “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by Himself,” stands prominently among autobiographies penned by former slaves in 18th-century Britain. Its comprehensive and detailed recounting, along with supporting documentation from various letters, offers unparalleled insights into Equiano's life, surpassing what we know about any of his peers.
Image: Olaudah Equiano as a young man in the 1770s/1780s.
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In the late 1780s and early 1790s, Olauda Equiano rose to prominence, distinguishing himself as the most notable Black person in Britain. In contemporary times, his reputation has either matched or even surpassed the acclaim he received during his era. Today, Equiano is a recurrent figure in literary works and compilations that delve into the history of slavery and the presence of black communities in Georgian-era Britain.
Image: Title page of Olaudah’s book.
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Inthe 1750s, Equiano, aged between 8 and 11, recounts being abducted by African raiders alongside his sister. They, along with other prisoners, endured a grueling journey that spanned several months to the Atlantic coast. As they delved deeper into the territories dominated by the Atlantic slave trade, the brutality and violence they encountered intensified.
Image: From book by William Fox, A Brief History of the Wesleyan Missions on the West Coast of Africa (London, 1851), facing p. 116.
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Upon reaching the coast, Equiano's journey took a devastatingly common turn. He faced a heart-wrenching separation from his sister and found himself confined within the hull of a British slave vessel. This was during an era when Britain had become the foremost slave-trading nation in the North Atlantic, overshadowing both the Iberian countries and the Dutch. The journey across the Middle Passage was a perilous ordeal.
Image: The Illustrated London News (June 20, 1857), vol. 30 p. 595.
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Tragically, over a million Africans, between the 16th & 19th centuries, didn't survive the journey.
After a short stay in Barbados, Equiano was relocated to Virginia. Within a few months, he was sold to Michael Pascal, a British naval officer. Pascal named him Gustavus Vassa, curiously after a renowned sixteenth-century Swedish king. For most of his life, he was more commonly known by this name rather than Olaudah Equiano.
Image: The Illustrated London News (June 20, 1857), vol. 30 p. 595.
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Being sold to Michael Pascal meant Equiano's experience with slavery deviated from the norm, but it wasn't entirely unique. Instead of toiling in the cane fields, he spent subsequent years aboard vessels that sailed the oceans connecting Britain to its colonies.
Image: Drawing by Peter Copeland, in David Moore, Historical and Archaeological Investigation of the Shipwreck Henrietta Marie, Key West, FL,, 1997.
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For nearly 3 decades, the sea remained an integral part of Equiano's life. His voyages took him through the West Indies, North & Central America, Britain, & the Mediterranean. He served under Michael Pascal in the Royal Navy during the 7 Years’ War, a conflict between France & Britain, 1756-1763.
Image: Watercolor by unknown artist in E.D.C. Campbell and K.S. Rice, eds., Before Freedom Came: African-American Life in the Antebellum South (University Press of Virginia, 1991), plate 6, p. xv.
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Dr. D. Elisabeth Glassco
CautionWIP (he/him) 🏳️🌈🇨🇦🕎