Olaudah Equiano (c1745-1797)

Olaudah Equiano, known for most of his life as Gustavus Vassa, He was probably born in the Eboe region of the kingdom of Benin province, in the area that is now southern Nigeria. ( He twice listed his birthplace in the Americas)

Most of what he wrote in his book The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa (published in 1789)can be verified.
( See Amazon notes)

As a child he was kidnapped with his sister, aged about 11, and sold to local slave traders and shipped across the Atlantic to Barbados and then Virginia.

In Virginia he was sold to a Royal Naval officer, Lieutenant Michael Pascal. Pascal renamed him Gustavus Vassa - the name of a 16th century Swedish king ( he had already been called Michael and Jacob). He travelled the oceans with Pascal for 8 years. In his book he give eye witness accounts of the Seven Years War with France.
Pascal favoured him by sending him to his sister-in-law so that he could attend school and learn to read and write.

Olaudah was converted to Christianity and was baptised at St. Margaret’s Westminster on 9th February, 1759

Pascal then sold him to Captain James Doran of the Charming Sally at gravesend, from where he was transported to the Caribbean. Doran sent him to Montserrat where he was sold to Robert King, a prominent American Quaker merchant from Philadelphia who traded in the Caribbean. He worked as a deckhand, barber and valet for King. He earned enough money over 3 years, by trading on the side, to buy his freedom.

He then spent the next 20 years travelling the world. He made trips to Turkey and the Arctic. He took care not to be captured and sold again as a slave.

In 1786 he came to London, He became involved in the movement to abolish slavery and joined the Sons of Africa - a group of 12 black African men.
(See notes)

In 1789 he published his book. which depicted the horrors of slavery. he spent many months speaking in public about his life. It went through 9 editions in his lifetime and helped gain passage of the British Slave Trade Act of 1807

On 7th April 1792 he married Susannah Cullen, an English woman. They married in Soham, Cambridge and settled there. They had 2 daughters -Anna Maria and Joanna

Susannah died in February 1796

Olaudah Equiano aged 52, died on 31st March 1797 just over a year later. The register reads Gustus Vasa, 52 years, St Mary Le Bone He was buried at Whitefield’s Tabernacle on 6th April. (burial place now lost).

Anna Maria died in 1797 aged just 4
Joanna went on to marry Revd. Henry Bromley

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