Olaudah Equiano

**Olaudah Equiano** (/əˈlaʊdə/; c. 1745 – 31 March 1797), dem know am for chaw of ein life as **Gustavus Vassa** (/ˈvæsə/), na he be a writer den abolitionist. According to ein memoir, na he komot de village of Essaka insyd present day southern Nigeria. Na dem enslave as a kiddie insyd West Africa, na dem ship am to de Caribbean wey na dem sell to a Royal Navy officer. Na dem sell amtwice more before na he purchase ein freedom insyd 1766.

As a freedman insyd London, na Equiano support de British abolitionist movement, insyd de 1780s wey na he cam be one of ein leading figures. Na Equiano be part of de abolitionist group de Sons of Africa, wey na ein members be Africans wey dey live insyd Britain. Na ein 1789 autobiography, *The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano*, sell so well dat na dem publish nine editions during ein life wey na e help secure passage of de British Slave Trade Act 1807, wich na e abolish de slave trade. *The Interesting Narrative* gain renewed popularity among scholars insyd de late 20th century wey e remain a useful primary source.

## Early life den enslavement

According to ein 1789 memoir, na dem born Equiano around 1745 insyd de Igbo village of Essaka insyd wat now be southern Nigeria. Na he claim na ein home be part of de Kingdom of Benin.

Na Equiano recount an incident of an attempted kidnapping of kiddies insyd ein Igbo village, wich na be foiled by adults. Wen na he be around de age of eleven, na dem lef he den ein sisto alone to look after dema family premises, as na ebe common wen adults go out of de house to work. Na dem kidnap dem wey na dem take dem far from dema home, na dem separate wey na dem sell dem to slave traders. Na he try make he escape buh na dem thwart am. After ein owners change chaw times, na Equiano happen to meet plus ein sisto buh na dem san separate. Six anaa seven months after na he be kidnapped, he arrive at de coast wer na dem take am on board a European slave ship. Na dem transport am plus 244 oda enslaved Africans across de Atlantic Ocean to Barbados insyd de British West Indies. Na dem send he den a few oda slaves for sale insyd de Colony of Virginia.

Na literary scholar Vincent Carretta argue insyd ein 2005 biography of Equiano say na de activist fi be born insyd colonial South Carolina rada dan Africa, based on a 1759 parish baptismal record wey dey list Equiano ein place of birth as Carolina den a 1773 ship ein muster wey dey indicate South Carolina. Na Carretta ein conclusion be disputed by oda scholars wey believe de weight of evidence dey support Equiano ein account of coming from Africa.

Insyd Virginia, na Michael Henry Pascal buy Equiano, a lieutenant insyd de Royal Navy. Na Pascal rename de boy "Gustavus Vassa", after de 16th-century King of Sweden Gustav Vasa wey begin de Protestant Reformation insyd Sweden. Na dem already rename Equiano twice: na dem call am Michael while on board de slave ship wey na e bring am to de Americas, den Jacob by ein first owner. Dis time, na Equiano refuse wey na he flow ein new owner say he go prefer to be called Jacob. Ein refusal, he dey say, "na e gain me chaw a cuff" wey eventually na he submit to de new name.Na he use dis name for de rest of ein life, wey dey include on all official records; na he use Equiano insyd ein autobiography per.

Na Pascal take Equiano plus am wen na he return to England wey na he make he accompany am as a valet during de Seven Years' War plus France (1756–1763). Na Equiano dey give witness reports of de Siege of Louisbourg (1758), de Battle of Lagos (1759) den de Capture of Belle Île (1761). Na dem sanso train am insyd seamanship, na dem dey expect Equiano make he assist de ship ein crew in times of battle; na ein duty be make he haul gunpowder to de gun decks. Na Pascal favour Equiano wey he send am to ein sister-in-law insyd Great Britain so dat he fi attend school den learn to read den write.

Na Equiano convert to Christianity wey na dem baptise am at St Margaret's, Westminster, on 9 February 1759, wen na dem describe am insyd de parish register as "a Black, born insyd Carolina, 12 years old". Na ein godparents be Mary Guerin den ein bro, Maynard, wey na dem be cousins of ein master Pascal. Na dem take an interest insyd am wey na dem help am to learn English. Later, wen na dem question Equiano ein origins after na dem publish ein book, na de Guerins testify to ein lack of English wen na he first cam to London.

Insyd December 1762, na Pascal sell Equiano to Captain James Doran of de *Charming Sally* at Gravesend, from wer na dem transport am back to de Caribbean, to Montserrat, insyd de Leeward Islands. Der, na dem sell am to Robert King, an American Quaker merchant wey komot Philadelphia wey trade insyd de Caribbean.

## Release

Na Robert King force Equiano make he work on ein shipping routes den insyd ein stores. Insyd 1765, wen na Equiano dey about 20 years old, na King promise dat for ein purchase price of 40 pounds (equivalent to £6,900 insyd 2023) he fi buy ein freedom. Na King teach am to read den wrep more fluently, wey he guide am along de path of religion, wey na he allow Equiano make he engage insyd profitable trading for ein own account, as well as on ein owner ein behalf. Na Equiano sell fruits, glass tumblers den oda items between Georgia den de Caribbean islands. Na King allow Equiano make he buy ein freedom, wich na he achieve insyd 1766. Na de merchant urge Equiano make he stay on as a business partner. However, na Equiano find am dangerous den limiting make he remain insyd de British colonies as a freedman. While loading a ship insyd Georgia, na dem almost kidnap am back into enslavement.

## Freedom

By about 1768, na Equiano go Britain. Na he continue to work at sea, wey na he dey travel sometimes as a deckhand based insyd England. Insyd 1773 on de Royal Navy ship HMS *Racehorse*, na he travel to de Arctic insyd an expedition towards de North Pole. On dat voyage na he work plus Dr Charles Irving, wey ha develop a process to distill seawater den later make a fortune from am. Two years later, na Irving recruit Equiano for a project on de Mosquito Coast insyd Central America, wer na he for use ein African background to help select slaves den manage dem as labourers on sugar-cane plantations. Na Irving den Equiano get a working relationship den friendship for more dan a decade, buh na de plantation venture fail. Na Equiano meet plus George, de "Musquito king ein son".

Na Equiano lef de Mosquito Coast insyd 1776 wey na he arrive at Plymouth, England, on 7 January 1777.

## Pioneer of de abolitionist cause

Na Equiano settle insyd London, wer na insyd de 1780s he cam be involved insyd de abolitionist movement. Na de movement to end de slave trade particularly be strong among Quakers, buh na dem found de Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade insyd 1787 as a non-denominational group, plus Anglican members, in an attempt make dem influence parliament directly. Under de Test Act, na those wey prepare per to receive de sacrament of de Lord's Supper according to de rites of de Church of England be permitted to serve as MPs. Na Equiano be influenced by George Whitefield ein evangelism.

As early as 1783, na Equiano inform abolitionists such as Granville Sharp about de slave trade; na det year he be de first to tell Sharp about de *Zong* massacre, wich na dem try am insyd London as litigation for insurance claims. Na e cam be a *cause célèbre* give de abolitionist movement wey e contribute to ein growth.

On 21 October 1785 na he be one of eight delegates from Africans insyd America to present an 'Address of Thanks' to de Quakers at a meeting insyd Gracechurch Street, London. Na de address refer to *A Caution to Great Britain and her Colonies* by Anthony Benezet, founder of de Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage.

Na Equiano befriended wey be supported by abolitionists, na chaw encourage am make he wrep den publish ein life story. Na he be supported financially insyd dis effort by philanthropic abolitionists den religious benefactors. Na dem promote ein lectures den preparation for de book by, among odas, Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon.

## Memoir

He entitle *The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African* (1789), na de book go thru nine editions insyd ein lifetime, plus translations into Russian, German den Dutch. E be one of de earliest-known examples of published writing by an African writer to be widely read insyd England. By 1792, na e be a best seller wey e be published insyd Russia, Germany, Holland den de United States. Na e be de first influential slave narrative of wat na cam be a large literary genre. Buh na Equiano ein experience insyd slavery be quite different from dat of chaw slaves; na he no participate insyd field work, he serve ein owners personally wey na he go to sea, na dem teach am to read den write, wey na he work insyd trading.

Na Equiano ein personal account of slavery, ein journey of advancement, den ein experiences as a black immigrant cause a sensation on publication. Na de book fuel a growing anti-slavery movement insyd Great Britain, Europe den de New World. Ein account surprise chaw plus de quality of ein imagery, description den literary style.

Insy ein account, na Equiano dey give details about ein hometown den de laws den customs of de Eboe people. After na dem capture am as a boy, he describe communities na he pass thru as a captive on ein way to de coast. Na ein biography dey detail ein voyage on a slave ship den de brutality of slavery insyd de colonies of de West Indies, Virginia den Georgia.

Na Equiano comment on de reduced rights wey na freed people of colour get insyd dese same places, wey na dem sanso face risks of kidnapping den enslavement. Na Equiano embrace Christianity at de age of 14 den ein importance to am be a recurring theme insyd ein autobiography. Na dem baptise am into de Church of England insyd 1759; na he describe einself insyd ein autobiography as a "protestant of de church of England" buh na he sanso flirt plus Methodism.

Na chaw events insyd Equiano ein life lead am make he question ein faith. Na he be distressed insyd 1774 by de kidnapping of ein paddie, a black cook dem name John Annis. Na Annis den ein former enslaver, William Kirkpatrick, initially na dem "part by consent" buh na Kirkpatrick renege, wey na he dey seek to kidnap den re-enslave Annis. Na Kirkpatrick ultimately be successful, wey na he forcibly remove Annis from de British ship *Anglicania* wer na both he den Equiano serve. Na dis be in violation of de decision insyd de Somersett Case (1772), dat dem no fi take slaves from England widout dema permission, as na common law no dey support de institution insyd England & Wales. Na Kirkpatrick make dem transport Annis to Saint Kitts, wer na dem punish am severely wey na he work as a plantation labourer til he die. Plus de aid of Granville Sharp, na Equiano try make he get Annis released before na dem ship am from England buh na he be unsuccessful. Na he hear dat na Annis no be free from suffering til he die insyd slavery. Despite ein questioning, he dey affirm ein faith insyd Christianity, as seen insyd de penultimate sentence of ein work wey dey quote de prophet Micah (Micah 6:8): "*After all, what makes any event important, unless by its observation we become better and wiser, and learn 'to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before God?*

## Later years, radical connections

During de American Revolutionary War, na Britain recruit black people make dem fight plus am by offering freedom to those wey lef rebel masters. In practice, na e sanso free women den kiddies, wey na e attract thousands of slaves to ein lines insyd New York City, wich na e occupy, den insyd de South, wer na ein troops occupy Charleston, South Carolina. Wen na dem evacuate British troops at de end of de war, na dema officers sanso evacuate dese former American slaves. Na dem resettle dem insyd de Caribbean, insyd Nova Scotia, insyd Sierra Leone insyd Africa, den insyd London. Na Britain refuse make e return de slaves, wich na de United States sought insyd peace negotiations.

Insyd 1783, dey follow de United States ein gaining independence, na Equiano cam be involved insyd he dey help de Black Poor of London, wey na dem mostly be those former African-American slaves dem free during den after de American Revolution by de British. Na der sanso be sam freed slaves from de Caribbean, den sam wey na dem be brought by dema owners to England wey na dem free later after de decision dat Britain get no basis insyd common law for slavery. Na de black community number about 20,000. After de Revolution na sam 3,000 former slaves be transported from New York to Nova Scotia, wer na dem cam be known as Black Loyalists, among oda Loyalists sanso resettle der. Na chaw of de freedmen find am difficult make dem make new lives insyd London anaa Canada.

Na dem appoint Equiano "Commissary of Provisions den Stores give de Black Poor wey dey go to Sierra Leone" insyd November 1786.Na dis be an expedition to resettle London ein Black Poor insyd Freetown, a new British colony dem found on de west coast of Africa, insyd present-day Sierra Leone. Na de blacks wey komot London be joined by more dan 1,200 Black Loyalists wey choose to leave Nova Scotia. Na dem be aided by John Clarkson, younger bro of abolitionist Thomas Clarkson. Na Jamaican maroons, as well as slaves dem liberate from illegal slave-trading ships after na Britain abolish de slave trade, na dem sanso settle at Freetown insyd de early decades. Na dem dismiss Equiano from de new settlement after he protest against financial mismanagement wey na he return to London.

Na Equiano be a prominent figure insyd London wey na he often serve as a spokesman give de black community. Na he be one of de leading members of de Sons of Africa, a small abolitionist group wey be composed of free Africans insyd London. Na dem be closely allied plus de Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. Na Equiano ein comments on issues be published insyd newspapers such as de *Public Advertiser* den de *Morning Chronicle*. Na he reply to James Tobin insyd 1788, insyd de *Public Advertiser*, wey dey attack two of ein pamphlets den a related book from 1786 by Gordon Turnbull. Na Equiano get more of a public voice dan chaw Africans anaa Black Loyalists wey na he seize chaw opportunities to use am.

## Marriage den family

On 7 April 1792, na Equiano marry Susannah Cullen, a local woman, insyd St Andrew's Church, Soham, Cambridgeshire. Dem hold today de original marriage register wey dey contain de entry give Vassa den Cullen by de Cambridgeshire Archives and Local Studies. Na he include ein marriage insyd every edition of ein autobiography from 1792 dey go. Na de couple settle insyd de area wey na dem get two daughters, Anna Maria (1793–1797) den Joanna (1795–1857), wey na dem baptise dem at Soham church.

Susannah die insyd February 1796, aged 34, wey na Equiano die a year later, on 31 March 1797. Soon afterwards, na Anna die at de age of four, leaving Joanna make he inherit Equiano ein estate wen na she dey 21 years old; na then dem value am at £950 (equivalent to £92,000 insyd 2023). Den dey commemorate Anna Maria by a plaque at St Andrew's Church, Chesterton, Cambridge. Na Joanna Vassa marry de Reverend Henry Bromley, a Congregationalist minister, insyd 1821. Dem both be buried at de non-denominational Abney Park Cemetery insyd Stoke Newington, London; de Bromleys ein monument now be a Grade II listed building.

## References


## Read further

* ''The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African'' at Wikisource.
* For the history of the *Narrative's* publication, see James Green, "The Publishing History of Olaudah Equiano's Interesting Narrative", *Slavery and Abolition* 16, no. 3 (1995): 362–375.
* S. E. Ogude, "Facts into fiction: Equiano's narrative reconsidered", *Research into African Literatures*, Vol. 13, No. 1, 1982
* S. E. Ogude, "Olaudah Equiano and the tradition of Defoe", *African Literature Today*, Vol. 14, 1984
* James Walvin, *An African's Life: The Life and Times of Olaudah Equiano, 1745–1797* (London: Continuum, 1998)
* Luke Walker, *Olaudah Equiano: The Interesting Man* (Wrath and Grace Publishing, 2017)

## External links

* Works by Olaudah Equiano in eBook form at Standard Ebooks
*  at Project Gutenberg
* Works by or about Olaudah Equiano at the Internet Archive
* Works by Olaudah Equiano at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks) 

* Frederick Quinn, "Olaudah Equiano", *Dictionary of African Christian Biography*, article reproduced with permission from *African Saints: Saints, Martyrs, and Holy People from the Continent of Africa*, copyright © 2002 by Frederick Quinn, New York: Crossroads Publishing Company.
* Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Brycchan Carey website, Carey 2003–2005. Includes Carey's comprehensive collection of resources for the study of Equiano. The Nativity section Where was Olaudah Equiano born? includes a detailed comparison of differing data related to his place of birth.
* The Equiano Project Archived 23 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine, The Equiano Society and Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.
* Part I: "Olaudah Equiano", *Africans in America*, PBS.
* "Historic figures: Olaudah Equiano", BBC.
* Biography,Book,Autobiography,Fact