The Slave Ship: A Human History

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.

Olaudah Equiano (c. 1745-1797), also known as Gustavus Vassa, was a prominent African abolitionist, writer, and formerly enslaved person whose autobiography remains one of the most significant firsthand accounts of the transatlantic slave trade. In The Slave Ship, Equiano is notable for being one of the few prominent African voices who could document and describe the transatlantic slave trade from the perspective of the enslaved. As such, he is crucial in the book’s attempts to portray History From Below. Equiano was born in the Igbo-speaking region of what is now southeastern Nigeria. According to his account, he grew up in a culturally rich and structured society. His family was well regarded within their community, and his father was a local elder. Around the age of 11, Equiano was kidnapped with his sister by local raiders and sold into slavery. This traumatic event marked the beginning of his journey through the brutal system of human trafficking that spanned continents. After being separated from his sister, he was sold multiple times and eventually transported to the coast. During this journey, Equiano was bought by a wealthy merchant and lived in comparative comfort.