Olaudah Equiano

Merchant, navigator and writer
Oladah Equiano was a black African who spent much of his life in slavery describing that experience in autobiographical work which is considered one of the earliest books published by a black African writer.

Born in the Eboe province in southern Nigeria, Equiano was kidnapped by slave traders at the age of 11 and sent first to Barbardos, and later to Virginia. In Virginia he was bought by lieutenant Michael Pascal, a royal navy officer who renamed him “Gustavus Vassa” after the 16th-century Swedish king and learn him to write and read. After eight years on the sea, Equiano was sold to captain in London and then to the prominent merchant Robert King. By trading on the side while working for his master, he was able to save enough money to buy his freedom. Finally a free man, Equiano spent much of time in the following two decades travelling around the world and he even reached the Arctic.

In 1786 he became involved in the movement to abolish slavery and with that aim he published his autobiography „The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African”. Not only the book became very popular and contributed to antislavery movement, but it also made Equaino a wealthy man. The slavery in Britain was abolished a decade after his death.