African, enslaved person, seaman, merchant and writer Olaudah Equiano African, enslaved person, seaman, merchant and writer

Birthplace

Olaudah Equiano 1745-1797 He was born in Ihiala in Southern Nigeria, as an Igbo, and he and his sister were taken when he was about 11. They were eventually separated and he was taken in a slave ship to the Barbardos.

Olaudah Equiano 1745-1797 He was taken to Virginia and sold to a man named Michael Pascal who was in the British Navy. Pascal renamed him Gustavus Vassa. He came with Pascal on voyages as a valet and learned to sail.

Pascal, Doran, King, then freedom He was sold two more times, and he learned to read and write and do math over this time. He also became a good sailor, and eventually he was purchased by Robert King, who was a Quaker merchant. Equiano paid attention and eventually started buying things himself in port like oranges, lemons, glasses and such to sell to the sailors on ships and made his own money, enough money to buy his freedom.

Amazing Life He made it to England by about 1768 and continued to educate himself and work on ships. In 1773 he actually travelled to the Arctic to help find the Northwest passage, a shortcut to India sought by the British. He also travelled to Central America and helped manage a sugar plantation.

Abolitionist In 1780 he moved to London and settled there. He joined the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade and became a public speaker. Eventually he wrote his memoir, The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. It was a giant hit. It sold out of nine printings and made a huge impact. Because he hadn’t served as a field hand but did have a personal experience on a slave ship it was unique.

Abolitionist He helped the formerly enslaved who had been given freedom during the Revolutionary War. There were many poor Black people in London and in Canada and helped resettle many of them in a free community in Sierra Leone. He worked to end the slave trade completely.