The Life of Gustavus Vassa- Olaudah Equiano, 1814

Vassa- Equiano is a great writer, and achieved much of his purpose in awakening the conscience of Britain to the evil and horrors of slavery. He was taken as a slave across Africa and sold, sent on a ship to America. This book, the first of the slave narratives, led to the outlawing of the slave trade in the US constitution by 1807.

Vassa is led through adventure after adventure, eventually buying himself from his owner, becoming free. Although the American Revolution occurs beside his story, he mentions only the repeal of the Stamp Act, and otherwise takes little notice. He is at his best when retiring in England reading scripture. Among many interesting points, we see a portrait of the Quaker Robert King, and the beliefs of people just before abolitionism was possible. Quakers are the best masters, and Providence Rhode Island nearly the only decent city. Georgia- will you have men who have no access to law, cannot bring complaint for any theft, random flogging or kidnapping? Once freed, he was kidnapped a number of times in the West Indies. But one sees the odd view regarding slavery prior to abolitionism, when it was not quite possible to imagine abolishing slavery. He has no qualms about working as a sailor on ships transporting slaves, or even employing or owning slaves himself- though one can be sure he would not govern slaves as he was himself treated. Together with a British Dr. Irving, Vassa is involved in an attempt to found a plantation in Jamaica. This Dr. Irving invented a water distiller, turning salt water into fresh.

Vassa notices the difference between African and American slavery, and the extreme savagery of the Portuguese and American masters in contrast with the more primitive, and so less savage African slave market. Modern race slavery begins in the more old fashioned capture of enemies in war among the tribes of the African interior, similar to slavery in the ancient world, becoming race slavery when these are sold to Europeans on the Western coast of Africa..

Near the center of his book, Vassa has a prophetic dream regarding a shipwreck and his near death from a beating. The dream occasions a reading of the book of Job, drawing attention to 33:15ff, regarding dreams and repetition in the Bible. Vassa studies music, math and scripture while in England, and becomes a sort of non-denominational Christian preacher. As a genuine Christian and saved soul, his judgement of the sects, and how Catholicism appears to him is quite interesting.

In the end, Equiano is able to address the Queen (Queen Charlotte, wife of George III) regarding the circumstance of slavery. He applies to become a missionary to Africa, nearly returning to where he began.