Olaudah Equiano

Olaudah Equiano, known for most of his life as Gustavus Vassa, he was a writer
and abolitionist from the region of the Kingdom of Benin. Enslaved as a child in
Africa, he was taken to the Caribbean and sold as a slave to a Royal Navy officer.
He was born in Essaka - which is now known as Nigeria – and he died on the 31 st
March 1797 in Middlesex. Olaudah Equiano bought his freedom from 3 years of
hard working, he worked as a deckhand, valet and barber. He also earned money
from trading on the side. Olaudah Equiano was a former slave, seaman and
merchant who wrote an autobiography describing the torment of slavery and
lobbied parliament for its abolition. After he bought back his freedom and he
wrote an autobiography, he travelled the world widely promoting his book and it
became immensely popular. He also helped the abolitionist cause and eventually
it made Equiano a very wealthy man. Olaudah Equiano is a key figure for
historians because he was a freed slave that fought for his people and became a
prominent character associated with the campaign to abolish the slave trade.