Jopling 1

Hayden Jopling

Mr. Kruse

American History

13 October 23

Primary Source Paper #2

Olaudah Equiano describes the Middle Passage, 1789

Olaudah Equiano was an African man from Essaka (Modern Nigeria) who was, at a

young age, captured into the Transatlantic slave trade. Olaudah recalls in this letter his time

aboard the ship that would bring him to the island known as Barbadoes. He writes

descriptively of the smells, sights, and many violations of humanity while traveling. He

focuses mainly on the inhumanity of his situation. People were hopeful for the release of

death. The air under the deck was thick enough it could have been cut with a knife. He

describes the reasons people would pass while on this voyage. Many fell ill due to sickness,

starvation, and occasionally loss of breath due to the air under the deck. Near the end of this

letter, Olaudah makes note of his natural curiosity. Towards the end of the trip, a few of the

ship's navigators allowed him to use one of their tools, the quadrant. The article shows no

exact bias but rather is just a statement of the details of the journey. Olaudah was no stranger

to slavery at this point in his life. The area in which he originated, Essaka, was known to have

its own slave trade. Although it was slavery set up in the way of a social class, or rather a

caste-like system built on hereditary value, it is ironic nonetheless. Being born into a higher

class, Olaudah’s family had slaves of their own. The slaves in this village, according to

Olaudah, were different from those in the West Indies. In his home village, slaves were

treated equally to those above and below them with the main difference being workload

(Dias). He mentions in various writings throughout his life his views on slavery. Oftentimes

they contradict as during his writings he may have been struggling with a personal mental

battle. Olaudah had become religious during his time as a slave. He originally saw religion
 Jopling 2

(Christianity) as a way he could become equal to his captors. As his time as a slave moved

forward, he furthered his education. Eventually, he learned vastly about religion, economics,

how to read, how to write, and many other skills. In 1766, Olaudah had saved enough from

side jobs to buy his freedom (Africans in America/Part 1/Olaudah Equiano). After roughly

twenty years, Olaudah served no master. To put the time frame into reference he was captured

just before the French and Indian War, and he did not gain his freedom until the Stamp Act

was repealed. He was enslaved during the entire lead-up to the American Revolution. After

becoming a free man Olaudah spent the next chapter of his life living in England where he

became the prominent abolitionist known today. He would often quote religious scriptures in

his discussions regarding slavery. Throughout his works, one can see his shifting position on

slavery. In certain writings, he defends the use of slavery in places similar to his home. This

is based on the ideology that only the mistreatment of slaves is bad, not the act of owning

slaves (Dias). As he neared the end of his life, however, his stance seemed to change. In 1807

the British Parliament passed the Slave Trade Act. This officially ended the slave trade in

Britain. Olaudah passed away a decade prior to this in 1797, but it was his voice that

ultimately swayed Parliament to pass this act (“Olaudah Equiano: A Freedom Writer | About

the Hero”). Olaudah Equiano was a vital figurehead for the abolitionist movement in Europe.

With his help, the groundwork for the abolishment of slavery worldwide was set. From upper

class to slave to slave trader, to free man, to abolitionist, Olaudah Equiano lived an eventful,

ironic, confusing, and ultimately fulfilling life.

 Jopling 3

Works Cited

Dias, Corie. Olaudah Equiano’s Views of Slavery in His “Narrative of the Life,” 2004,

vc.bridgew.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=undergrad_rev#:~:text=Fro

m%20a%20young%20age%2C%20Equiano,sees%20in%20the%20West%20Indies.

Africans in America/Part 1/Olaudah Equiano.

www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1p276.html#:~:text=Under%20this%20master%2C%20

who%20owned,1766%2C%20Equiano%20bought%20his%20freedom.

“Olaudah Equiano: A Freedom Writer | About the Hero.” Lowell Milken Center, 22 Jan.

2019,

www.lowellmilkencenter.org/programs/projects/view/olaudah-equiano-a-freedom-wri

ter/hero#:~:text=Equiano%20died%20in%20March%20of,African%20slave%20trade

%20in%20Britain.