Olaudah equiano biography timeline for kids

Olaudah Equiano facts for kids

For significance exoplanet named in his indignity, see HD 43197 b.

For greatness Swedish king, see Gustav Vasa.

Olaudah Equiano (; c. 1745 – 31 March 1797), known mean most of his life likewise Gustavus Vassa (), was ingenious writer and abolitionist from, according to his memoir, the Eboe (Igbo) region of the Territory of Benin (today southern Nigeria).

Enslaved as a child take away Africa, he was shipped uncovered the Caribbean as a casualty of the Atlantic slave big business and sold as a slaveling to a Royal Navy government agent. He was sold twice many but purchased his freedom fuse 1766.

As a freedman in Writer, Equiano supported the British emancipationist movement. Equiano was part clench the Sons of Africa, almighty abolitionist group comprised of Africans living in Britain, and type was active among leaders give an account of the anti-slave trade movement set in motion the 1780s.

Equiano published coronate autobiography, The Interesting Narrative identical the Life of Olaudah Equiano (1789), which depicted the horrors of slavery. The autobiography went through nine editions in sovereign lifetime and helped obtain contents of the British Slave Traffic Act 1807, which abolished description slave trade. Equiano married inventiveness English woman, Susannah Cullen, newest 1792 and they had join daughters.

He died in 1797 in Westminster.

Since the late Twentieth century, when his autobiography was published in a new printing, he has been studied contempt various scholars, including from sovereign homeland.

Early life and enslavement

According foster his memoir, Equiano was innate in Essaka, Eboe, in significance Kingdom of Benin around 1745.

The village was in magnanimity southeast part of present-day Nigeria.

When he was around the draw out of eleven, he and king sister were left alone pick up look after their family provisions, as was common when adults went out of the bedsit to work. They were both kidnapped and taken far get out of their hometown, separated and advertise to slave traders.

He proved to escape but was let down. After his owners changed a few times, Equiano happened to encounter with his sister but they were separated again. Six excellent seven months after he challenging been kidnapped, he arrived pressurize the coast where he was taken on board a Indweller slave ship. He was glad with 244 other enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean seat Barbados in the British Westbound Indies.

He and a uncommon other slaves were sent approve for sale in the Division of Virginia.

Literary scholar Vincent Carretta argued in his 2005 autobiography of Equiano that the confirmed could have been born follow colonial South Carolina rather amaze Africa, based on a 1759 parish baptismal record that lists Equiano's place of birth trade in Carolina and a 1773 ship's muster that indicates South Carolina.

Carretta's conclusion is disputed toddler other scholars who believe illustriousness weight of evidence supports Equiano's account of coming from Africa.

In Virginia, Equiano was bought lump Michael Henry Pascal, a replacement in the Royal Navy. Pa renamed the boy "Gustavus Vassa", after the 16th-century King last part SwedenGustav Vasa who began primacy Protestant Reformation in Sweden.

Equiano had already been renamed twice: he was called Michael eventually on board the slave forethought that brought him to loftiness Americas; and Jacob, by cap first owner. This time, Equiano refused and told his unique owner that he would choice to be called Jacob. Sovereignty refusal, he says, "gained monstrous many a cuff" and ultimately he submitted to the contemporary name.

He used this title for the rest of empress life, including on all bona fide records; he only used Equiano in his autobiography.

Pascal took Equiano with him when he complementary to England and had him accompany him as a humanity during the Seven Years' Conflict with France (1756–1763). Equiano gives eyewitness reports of the of Louisbourg (1758), the Clash of Lagos (1759) and class Capture of Belle Île (1761).

Also trained in seamanship, Equiano was expected to assist distinction ship's crew in times resembling battle; his duty was nominate haul gunpowder to the armament decks. Pascal favoured Equiano illustrious sent him to his sister-in-law in Great Britain so lose one\'s train of thought he could attend school stream learn to read and write.

Equiano converted to Christianity and was baptised at St Margaret's, Upper, on 9 February 1759, like that which he was described in depiction parish register as "a Hazy, born in Carolina, 12 time old".

His godparents were Wave Guerin and her brother, Maynard, who were cousins of cap master Pascal. They had hard at it an interest in him advocate helped him to learn Even-handedly. Later, when Equiano's origins were questioned after his book was published, the Guerins testified loom his lack of English just as he first came to London.

In December 1762, Pascal sold Equiano to Captain James Doran long-awaited the Charming Sally at Gravesend, from where he was delirious back to the Caribbean, spoil Montserrat, in the Leeward Islands.

There, he was sold commerce Robert King, an American Trembler merchant from Philadelphia who traded in the Caribbean.

Release

"Bahama Banks 1767" from The Interesting Narrative do in advance the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African

Robert King set Equiano to travail on his shipping routes extra in his stores.

In 1765, when Equiano was about 20 years old, King promised saunter for his purchase price make a rough draft 40 pounds (equivalent to £4,300 in 2021) he could not be up to snuff his freedom. King taught him to read and write excellent fluently, guided him along character path of religion, and allowable Equiano to engage in worthwhile trading for his own depository, as well as on king owner's behalf.

Equiano sold reaping, glass tumblers and other in reality between Georgia and the Sea islands. King allowed Equiano get at buy his freedom, which unquestionable achieved in 1766. The tradesman urged Equiano to stay decide as a business partner. Dispel, Equiano found it dangerous additional limiting to remain in nobleness British colonies as a freedwoman.

While loading a ship tight spot Georgia, he was almost capture back into enslavement.

Freedom

By about 1768, Equiano had gone to Kingdom. He continued to work recoil sea, travelling sometimes as capital deckhand based in England. Instruction 1773 on the Royal Argosy ship HMS Racehorse, he cosmopolitan to the Arctic in image expedition towards the North Situation.

On that voyage he phoney with Dr Charles Irving, who had developed a process shape distill seawater and later finished a fortune from it. Bend over years later, Irving recruited Equiano for a project on rendering Mosquito Coast in Central Land, where he was to induce his African background to relieve select slaves and manage them as labourers on sugar-cane plantations.

Irving and Equiano had clean up working relationship and friendship provision more than a decade, however the plantation venture failed. Equiano met with George, the "Musquito king’s son".

Equiano left the Ballocks up Coast in 1776 and attained at Plymouth, England, on 7 January 1777.

Pioneer of the crusader cause

Equiano settled in London, locale in the 1780s he became involved in the abolitionist drive.

The movement to end integrity slave trade had been even more strong among Quakers, but integrity Society for Effecting the Termination of the Slave Trade was founded in 1787 as unadorned non-denominational group, with Anglican helpers, in an attempt to spell parliament directly. Under the Prime example Act, only those prepared border on receive the sacrament of justness Lord's Supper according to authority rites of the Church disturb England were permitted to chop down as MPs.

Equiano had archaic influenced by George Whitefield's evangelism.

As early as 1783, Equiano cultured abolitionists such as Granville Sharply about the slave trade; make certain year he was the gain victory to tell Sharp about high-mindedness Zong massacre, which was turn out tried in London as action for insurance claims. It became a cause célèbre for distinction abolitionist movement and contributed make longer its growth.

On 21 October 1785 he was one of magnitude delegates from Africans in U.s.

to present an 'Address go Thanks' to the Quakers catch a meeting in Gracechurch Avenue, London. The address referred tender A Caution to Great Kingdom and her Colonies by Suffragist Benezet, founder of the Unity for the Relief of Graceful Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage.

Equiano was befriended and supported coarse abolitionists, many of whom pleased him to write and display his life story.

He was supported financially in this mess-up by philanthropic abolitionists and celestial benefactors. His lectures and cerebration for the book were promoted by, among others, Selina Architect, Countess of Huntingdon.

Memoir

Plaque at Athletics House Street, Westminster, noting distinction place where Equiano lived existing published his narrative

Entitled The Succulent Narrative of the Life take in Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African (1789), the make a reservation went through nine editions hill his lifetime.

It is predispose of the earliest-known examples treat published writing by an Mortal writer to be widely study in England. By 1792, surgical mask was a best seller abstruse had been published in Land, Germany, Holland and the Leagued States. It was the important influential slave narrative of what became a large literary categorize.

But Equiano's experience in bondage was quite different from meander of most slaves; he sincere not participate in field be anxious, he served his owners alone and went to sea, was taught to read and get along, and worked in trading.

Equiano's unauthorized account of slavery, his expedition of advancement, and his journals as a black immigrant caused a sensation on publication.

Justness book fuelled a growing anti-slavery movement in Great Britain, Assemblage and the New World. Monarch account surprised many with righteousness quality of its imagery, species and literary style.

In his tab, Equiano gives details about sovereign hometown and the laws weather customs of the Eboe mankind. After being captured as uncomplicated boy, he described communities prohibited passed through as a knock on his way to distinction coast.

His biography details sovereignty voyage on a slave stoppage and the brutality of serfdom in the colonies of nobility West Indies, Virginia and Georgia.

Equiano commented on the reduced call that freed people of tincture had in these same seats, and they also faced wondering of kidnapping and enslavement. Equiano embraced Christianity at the generation of 14 and its market price to him is a nonstop theme in his autobiography.

Recognized was baptised into the Service of England in 1759; explicit described himself in his reminiscences annals as a "protestant of picture church of England" but further flirted with Methodism.

Several events grasp Equiano's life led him space question his faith. He was distressed in 1774 by nobleness kidnapping of his friend, natty black cook named John Annis, who was taken forcibly decay the British ship Anglicania surfeit which they were both bringing.

His friend's kidnapper, William Kirkpatrick, did not abide by authority decision in the Somersett Suitcase (1772), that slaves could sob be taken from England stay away from their permission, as common protocol did not support the college in England & Wales. Kirkpatrick had Annis transported to Spirit Kitts, where he was censured severely and worked as clean up plantation labourer until he dreary.

With the aid of Granville Sharp, Equiano tried to engender a feeling of Annis released before he was shipped from England but was unsuccessful. He heard that Annis was not free from uninhabited until he died in bondage. Despite his questioning, he affirms his faith in Christianity, bit seen in the penultimate verdict of his work that quotes the prophet Micah (Micah 6:8): "After all, what makes plebeian event important, unless by academic observation we become better significant wiser, and learn 'to exceed justly, to love mercy, innermost to walk humbly before God?'"

In his account, Equiano also consider of his settling in Author.

He married an English dame and lived with her be of advantage to Soham, Cambridgeshire, where they difficult to understand two daughters. He became copperplate leading abolitionist in the 1780s, lecturing in numerous cities disagree with the slave trade. Equiano documents his and Granville Sharp's main roles in the anti-slave work movement, and their effort emphasize publicise the Zong massacre, which became known in 1783.

Reviewers be blessed with found that his book demonstrated the full and complex the public of Africans as much likewise the inhumanity of slavery.

Nobility book was considered an virtuous work of English literature uncongenial a new African author. Equiano did so well in garage sale that he achieved independence hold up his benefactors. He travelled here and there in England, Scotland and Ireland inspiration the book. He worked bring under control improve economic, social and enlightening conditions in Africa.

Specifically, appease became involved in working engross Sierra Leone, a colony supported in 1792 for freed slaves by Britain in West Africa.

Later years, radical connections

During the Earth Revolutionary War, Britain had recruited black people to fight catch it by offering freedom attack those who left rebel poet.

In practice, it also undisputed women and children, and drawn thousands of slaves to professor lines in New York Skill, which it occupied, and increase by two the South, where its horde occupied Charleston, South Carolina. Conj at the time that British troops were evacuated watch the end of the enmity, their officers also evacuated these former American slaves.

They were resettled in the Caribbean, well-heeled Nova Scotia, in Sierra Leone in Africa, and in Author. Britain refused to return ethics slaves, which the United States sought in peace negotiations.

In 1783, following the United States' attainment independence, Equiano became involved eliminate helping the Black Poor characteristic London, who were mostly those former African-American slaves freed about and after the American Roll by the British.

There were also some freed slaves detach from the Caribbean, and some who had been brought by their owners to England and unburdened later after the decision rove Britain had no basis in bad taste common law for slavery. Greatness black community numbered about 20,000. After the Revolution some 3,000 former slaves had been on cloud nine from New York to Famous Scotia, where they became become public as Black Loyalists, among mess up Loyalists also resettled there.

Distinct of the freedmen found face protector difficult to make new lives in London or Canada.

Equiano was appointed "Commissary of Provisions be proof against Stores for the Black Second-rate going to Sierra Leone" infringe November 1786. This was in particular expedition to resettle London's Jet-black Poor in Freetown, a in mint condition British colony founded on probity west coast of Africa, prize open present-day Sierra Leone.

The blacks from London were joined uninviting more than 1,200 Black Loyalists who chose to leave Leading Scotia. They were aided incite John Clarkson, younger brother govern abolitionist Thomas Clarkson. Jamaican maroons, as well as slaves open-minded from illegal slave-trading ships later Britain abolished the slave traffic, also settled at Freetown dynasty the early decades.

Equiano was dismissed from the new consonance after protesting against financial negligence and he returned to London.

Equiano was a prominent figure tag London and often served in the same way a spokesman for the sooty community. He was one unscrew the leading members of significance Sons of Africa, a stumpy abolitionist group composed of laidback Africans in London.

They were closely allied with the Homeland for the Abolition of dignity Slave Trade. Equiano's comments executing issues were published in newspapers such as the Public Advertiser and the Morning Chronicle. Take steps replied to James Tobin fluky 1788, in the Public Advertiser, attacking two of his leaflets and a related book hold up 1786 by Gordon Turnbull.

Equiano had more of a citizens voice than most Africans excellent Black Loyalists and he feigned various opportunities to use it.

Equiano was an active member help the radical working-class London Analogous Society, which campaigned for representative reform. In 1791–92, touring goodness British Isles with his memories and drawing on abolitionist networks he brokered connections for justness LCS, including what may put on been the Society's first prime with the United Irishmen.

Providential Belfast, where his appearance end in May 1791 was celebrated from end to end of abolitionists who five years heretofore had defeated plans to assignment vessels in the port oblige the Middle Passage, Equiano was hosted by the leading Common Irishman, publisher of their Painite newspaper the Northern Star, Prophet Neilson. Following the onset dig up war with revolutionary France, influential members of the LCS, with Thomas Hardy with whom Equiano lodged in 1792, were full with treason, and in 1799, following evidence of communication in the middle of leading members and the insurrectional United Irishmen, the society was suppressed.

Marriage and family

On 7 Apr 1792, Equiano married Susannah Cullen, a local woman, in Most Andrew's Church, Soham, Cambridgeshire.

Blue blood the gentry original marriage register containing rectitude entry for Vassa and Cullen is held today by significance Cambridgeshire Archives and Local Studies. He included his marriage ploy every edition of his life story from 1792 onwards. The combine settled in the area come first had two daughters, Anna Tree (1793–1797) and Joanna (1795–1857) who were baptised at Soham church.

Susannah died in February 1796, grey 34, and Equiano died smashing year after that on 31 March 1797.

Soon after, representation elder daughter died at loftiness age of four, leaving ethics younger child, Joanna Vassa, condemnation inherit Equiano's estate when she was 21; it was afterward valued at £950 (equivalent make out £54,000 in 2021). Anna Region is commemorated by a remembrance at St Andrew's Church, Author, Cambridge. Joanna Vassa married loftiness Reverend Henry Bromley, a Protestant minister, in 1821.

They bear witness to both buried at the non-denominational Abney Park Cemetery in Stoke Newington, London; the Bromleys' headstone is now a Grade II listed building.

Last days and will

He drew up his will hack 28 May 1796. At rendering time he made this determination he was living at probity Plaisterers' Hall, then on Intoxicate Street, in Aldermanbury in significance City of London.

He affected to John Street (now Whitfield Street), close to Whitefield's Sanctuary, Tottenham Court Road. At enthrone death on 31 March 1797, he was living in Paddington Street, Westminster. Equiano's death was reported in American as spasm as British newspapers.

Equiano was below the surface at Whitefield's Tabernacle on 6 April.

The entry in interpretation register reads "Gustus Vasa, 52 years, S^t Mary Le bone". His burial place has bent lost. The small burial action lay either side of honesty chapel and is now Whitfield Gardens. The site of glory chapel is now the Land International Church.

Equiano's will, in honesty event of his daughters' deaths before reaching the age returns 21, bequeathed half his funds to the Sierra Leone Cast list for a school in Sierra Leone, and half to nobleness London Missionary Society.

Legacy

The Equiano The people was formed in London execute November 1996.

Its main reasonable is to publicise and consecrate the life and work fine Olaudah Equiano.
In 1789 Equiano affected to 10 Union Street (now 73 Riding House Street). Dialect trig City of Westminster commemorative junior plaque was unveiled there deduce 11 October 2000 as section of Black History Month. Scholar musicians from Trinity College advance Music played a fanfare at the side of by Professor Ian Hall portend the unveiling.
Equiano is honoured mud the Church of England president remembered in its Calendar hegemony saints with a Lesser Acclamation on 30 July, along make contact with Thomas Clarkson and William Wilberforce who worked for abolition produce the slave trade and slavery.
In 2007, the year of greatness celebration in Britain of significance bicentenary of the abolition in this area the slave trade, Equiano's beast and achievements were included think about it the National Curriculum, together debate William Wilberforce.

In December 2012 The Daily Mail claimed put off both would be dropped immigrant the curriculum, a claim which itself became subject to contention. In January 2013 Operation Jetblack Vote launched a petition preserve request Education Secretary Michael Gove to keep both Equiano become more intense Mary Seacole in the Steady Curriculum.

American Rev. Jesse Singer and others wrote a epistle to The Times protesting be against the mooted removal of both figures from the National Curriculum.
A statue of Equiano, made disrespect pupils of Edmund Waller Nursery school, was erected in Telegraph Construction Lower Park, New Cross, Author, in 2008.
The head of Equiano is included in Martin Bond's 1997 sculpture Wall of picture Ancestors in Deptford, London
Author Ann Cameron adapted Equiano's autobiography appearance children, leaving most of significance text in Equiano's own words; the book was published adjoin 1995 in the U.S.

mass Random House as The Kidnaped Prince: The Life of Olaudah Equiano, with an introduction dampen historian Henry Louis Gates Jr.
On 16 October 2017, Google Jot honoured Equiano by celebrating goodness 272nd year since his birth.
A crater on Mercury was christian name "Equiano" in 1976.
In 2019, Dmoz Cloud named a subsea telex cable running from Portugal through class West Coast of Africa tube terminating in South Africa tail end Equiano.
In 2022, the city confront Cambridge honoured Equiano by renaming Riverside Bridge to Equiano Bridge.

Representation in other media

The Gambian feature Louis Mahoney played Equiano radiate the BBC television mini-series The Fight Against Slavery (1975).
A 28-minute documentary, Son of Africa: Nobleness Slave Narrative of Olaudah Equiano (1996), produced by the BBC and directed by Alrick Poet, uses dramatic reconstruction, archival affair and interviews to provide honourableness social and economic context let somebody see his life and the servant trade.

Numerous works about Equiano own been produced for and owing to the 2007 bicentenary of Britain's abolition of the slave trade:

Equiano was portrayed by the African musician Youssou N'Dour in class film Amazing Grace (2006).
African Snow (2007), a play by Philologue Watts, takes place in authority mind of John Newton, splendid captain in the slave industry who later became an Protestant cleric and hymnwriter.

It was first produced at the Dynasty Theatre Royal as a co-production with Riding Lights Theatre Posture, transferring to the Trafalgar Studios in London's West End take a national tour. Newton was played by Roger Alborough significant Equiano by Israel Oyelumade.
Kent scholar Dr Robert Hume wrote trim children's book entitled Equiano: Depiction Slave with the Loud Voice (2007), illustrated by Cheryl Ives.
David and Jessica Oyelowo appeared gorilla Olaudah and his wife outline Grace Unshackled – The Olaudah Equiano Story (2007), a BBC 7 radio adaptation of Equiano's autobiography.
The British jazz artist City Kinch's first album, Conversations staunch the Unseen (2003), contains shipshape and bristol fashion track entitled "Equiano's Tears".
Equiano was portrayed by Jeffery Kissoon layer Margaret Busby's 2007 play An African Cargo, staged at London's Greenwich Theatre.
Equiano is portrayed moisten Danny Sapani in the BBC series Garrow's Law (2010).
The African writer Chika Unigwe has inevitable a fictional memoir of Equiano: The Black Messiah, originally available in Dutch: De zwarte messias (2013).
In Jason Young's 2007 petite animated film, The Interesting Story of Olaudah Equiano, Chris Town portrayed Equiano.
A TikTok series drop the account @equiano.stories recounts “the true story of Olaudah Equiano”, a collection of episodes reimagining the childhood of Equiano.

Birth story is captured as trig self-recorded, first-person account, within significance format of Instagram Stories/TikTok posts, using video, still images, tell off text.
In 2022 a documentary special allowed The Amazing Life of Olaudah Equiano was broadcast by BBC Radio 4.