Olaudah EquianoThe story of Olaudah Equiano is unique in that he was the first slave to have published a book of his life story; a book moreover that influenced members of the Clapham Sect of abolitionists.
Olaudah was taken as a child from a mainly agricultural life in the Niger Delta to slavery in the Caribbean and Georgia. He tells at first hand of the conditions on board slave ships and the depravations of slavery. A large part of his life was spent travelling, first with a Captain in the British Royal Navy, and secondly a merchant from whom he purchased his freedom.
In telling Olaudah’s story, either as a ‘talking head’ or as an interactive story-telling workshop, we aim to highlight the tragedy of slavery. We do not avoid the pre-existence of slavery within Africa, but focus on the inhumanity of a system which depended upon extreme racism and which degraded those who imposed it. We look at separation from family and home, culture and language and of the ability of many slaves not only to cope with these things, but to rise above them.
In addition to the treatment of slaves we also look at the treatment of free Negroes and their lack of rights under the law, linking Olaudah’s own experiences as a free merchant to Rosa Parks and the present day. We finish with a discussion about the wrongs of slavery and discrimination in general.
Suitable for: Key Stage 1 and 2 Curriculum: In addition to contributing directly to a greater understanding of Black History, this piece also supports Citizenship, Units 5, 7, 8 an NB: This piece uses a few PowerPoint images to support Olaudah’s story.
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