Equiano, the African: Biography of a Self-Made Man

by Vincent Carretta

This definitive biography tells the story of the former slave Olaudah Equiano (1745?–1797), who in his day was the English-speaking world’s most renowned person of African descent. Equiano’s greatest legacy is his classic 1789 autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself . A key document of the early movement to ban the slave trade, as well as the fundamental text in the genre of the African American slave narrative, it includes the earliest known purported firsthand description by an enslaved victim of the horrific Middle Passage from Africa to the Americas. Equiano, the African is filled with fresh revelations about this many-sided figure.

Genres: History, Biography, 18th Century, Africa, Nonfiction

464 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Vincent Carretta is emertius professor of English at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Reviews

[Jackson Cyril · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant, fascinating and necessary account of one of the most remarkable figures of the 18th century Atlantic world, Equiano (or Gustavus Vassa); a former slave who purchased his freedom, sailed around the world, wrote an abolitionist classic and campaigned for the abolition of slavery. Carretta carefully reads Equiano's rich autobiography and unveils a subtle rhetorician who knew exactly how to elicit sympathy for his cause.

[Ricardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a masterpiece of historical writing. Not only does it examine the life of its’ subject, it fully illuminates the sights and emotions of the late eighteenth century Western world. Meticulous research went into every aspect of Equiano’s life. Given the name Gustavus Vassa, he traveled the seas in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years’ War, worked on merchant ships in the Caribbean, oversaw the transportation of slaves from Africa, paid for his freedom and joined expeditions to the North Pole, Central America and West Africa. He would later make a name for himself (renaming himself Equiano) writing opinion pieces calling for the end of the slave trade within the British Empire.
The author breaks down this memoir and attempts to corroborate the facts with documentary evidence. Carretta unearths letters from colleagues and enemies alike, including some pamphlets that the author believes to be by Equiano. One doesn’t need to be versed in any aspect of the time, since everything from merchant shipping to depictions of non-white people in popular culture is expertly explained.
An especially illuminating section was describing the back-and-forth between writers of pamphlets and opinion pieces. Equiano began writing his condemnation of the slave trade after reading so many defenders of the institution. Reading these defenders of slavery today reminds one of the current struggle with reporting false equivalency and the topic of civility in political debate.
The book received some blowback when addressing the early part of Equiano’s biography. Equiano claimed to be born in west Africa and described his abduction and sale to slave traders. There is no evidence of this and, in fact, it seems he was born a slave in South Carolina. But the author stresses that this memoir was written as an attack against slavery, and after working on ships that moved Africans in the trade, Equiano did have first-hand knowledge of what these Africans endured. Equiano himself may have not experienced these specific traumas, but he was well versed in other Africans’ miseries. This should not take away the power of these experiences or the life that Equiano led.
The second half of his life was a spiritual awakening that he described as nourishing as from a “soul-feast.” Reading this volume felt just as satisfying.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm speaking on an upcoming Equiano panel that in part responds to this book, so when I saw it on sale at MLA, I decided to get it. What is fabulous about Carretta's book is that he showcases Equiano's talents as a writer. It's been disturbing me how _The Narrative_ will be included in U.S. and U.K. Lit. anthologies, but only the chapters on Africa and the Middle Passage. For me, the best part of these chapters is the way Equiano artfully shapes the readers' perspectives and inverts conventional takes on Self/Other relations. The "controversial" part of Carretta's argument is carefully presented: he humbly offers it for readers to consider rather than insisting they comply with his point of view.

This is a great book for anyone interested learning more about the historical context of _The Narrative_.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting book.

[Craig Bolton]

"Equiano, the African: Biography of a Self-Made Man by Vincent Carretta (2007)"

[K. G. Whitehurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong, if controversial thesis. Many excellent points, but interminable in style.

[Paulina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredible!

I learned so much about the culture, history, and life during the 1700s-1800s. I appreciate how much time and effort went into the research for this book, from the little details to the greater patterns analyzed that surrounded Equiano's biography.

In essence, this book analyzes Equiano's autobiography, the context around which it was written, the knowledge and experience that Equiano had at the time, and all the events that influenced the content of his autobiography. This book doesn't try to convince you of anything, it presents the historical data, the records that have been found, and draws hypotheses about what probably happened to Equiano when there's not enough evidence to support a claim.

Equiano lived a life full of so many different perspectives, that of a slave, sailor, explorer, writer, advocate, and so many more, that his life story is fascinating.

If you like nonfiction books that are incredibly well written and well researched, this is the book for you. If you want to read about a fascinating man who overcame prejudice and injustice after injustice then read this.

I'll be looking for more of Carretta's works because I'm definitely a fan.

[Louiza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not an easy or fast read, but well written and very interesting and informative. I highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the early American history or in the history of the abolition of slavery, mainly its beginnings by the efforts to abolish the slave trade.

Also, an excellent supplementary reading for anyone who has read or wants to read the autobiography of Equiano titled "The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by Himself."

Vincent Carretta's biography will give you the historical context of Equiano's own narrative, the motivations behind his narrative, and the controversy around his birth and childhood: Was he born a slave in South Carolina or was he kidnapped by slave traders from his home in Guinea, Africa when he was still a child?

Moreover, the character of Equiano becomes alive with all its flaws, strengths, and moral conflicts as he navigates the 18th century world first as a slave who once freed traded and own slaves himself until he fully realized the evils of slave trade and became a strong voice for the abolitionist cause.

Not a perfect book (if there is such a thing), but a thought provoking book and an excellent source of information.

[Forked Radish]

“Self-made man”? Did he go back in time and “know” his mother? The kind of asinine 🐂 💩 platitude that one expects, and gets, from a 21sr century book. Equiano would have been outraged, especially considering his personal religious philosophy! And what’s worse is that the only relevant part of the book viz. Equiano’s baptismal record of 1759 and his naval record of 1773 which list his place of birth as South Carolina are only mentioned in passing (pg. 2). All in all, a modern perspective fifth wheel of a book, but the bibliography is useful. Notably:
Ogude, S. E. Facts into Fiction: Equiano’s Narrative Reconsidered, Research in African literature, 13 (1982)
Ibid No Roots Here: On the Igbo Roots of Olaudah Equiano, Review of English and Literary Studies, 5 (1989) (16 pp.)
Note that the above is 16 pages while Carretta’s tomette is 436 pages.
Addendum:
I recommend reading:
“OLAUDAH EQUIANO African or American?” by Brycchan Carey (2010); available @repository.lsu.edu

[Nick Woodall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant research, but it is a tedious book to get through. I actually started reading this book 2 years ago in Africa, and it has taken me that long to plod through it.

[Mills College Library]

Biog E648c 2006