Equiano Olaudah’s autobiography, The Interesting Narrative, was a monumental piece of literature that greatly aided the British antislavery movement. One of the reasons Equiano’s narrative was so powerful was because of his point of view; he experienced the horrors of slavery firsthand, being born in Africa, kidnapped as a boy, and then sold into slavery. However, since his book’s publication in 1789, doubts have been raised over his supposed birthplace. In 1792, two anonymous notes were published in the London paper “charging that he was not an African at all, but had been born on the Danish island of St. Croix in the Caribbean”.[1] More recently, literary scholars, such as Vincent Carretta, have suggested that Equiano was born in South Carolina, citing primary documents such as ship logs.[2] As will be discovered, although these arguments do indeed raise some interesting questions, Equiano had no compelling reason to lie about his birthplace in his Narrative, and no compelling primary evidence exists that can prove he did lie. Furthermore, I think Equiano realized that he had too much to lose if he was caught lying. Thus, in my opinion, Equiano’s birthplace is exactly where he said it was: Africa.
Firstly, there was no reason Equiano needed to lie about his birthplace in his Narrative. Equiano was an extremely passionate abolitionist who was “actuated by the hope of becoming an instrument towards the relief of his suffering countrymen”, as he states in his Narrative’s introduction.[3] Equiano realized that the antislavery movement needed a strong first-person narrative after the more impersonal work of his friend, Ottobah Cugoano, fell flat and Equiano saw the impact of the more personal Zong Affair. [4] Some suggest this motivated Equiano to lie about his birthplace, but if he had been caught lying, his reputation, and the reputation of the antislavery movement, would have been severely tarnished. Although communication at the time was slow, it was existent; “somebody, somewhere, would have known the truth”, especially after his book was published in New York in 1791.[5] So even if Equiano was born somewhere bedsides Africa, why would he want to risk ruining all of his efforts? Historian Robert J. Allison points out, “If he had not actually experienced the Middle Passage, his version could be inaccurate. And if this part of his identity was suspect, then what else in his Narrative had been exaggerated or falsified?”[6] Equiano realized this, and he responded strongly to the anonymous notes that were published in 1792, providing witnesses who could testify about when he arrived in America. After threatening legal action, the papers eventually “retracted their claim, and in all subsequent editions of the Narrative Equiano printed an angry denunciation of it”.[7]
Secondly, no compelling primary evidence exists that proves Equiano lied. Arguments, such as Carretta’s, cite two main primary documents to support their case. The first is Equiano’s baptismal record at St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster, dated February 9, 1759, which records that he was born in ‘Carolina’; the second is a Royal Navy muster roll from Constantine Phipp’s Artic expedition of 1773, which records that Equiano was born in ‘South Carolina’.[8] Some say these documents prove that Equiano, having nothing to hide in his youth, recorded the true place of his birth, but this is speculation. To begin with, it cannot be proven that this information actually was provided by Equiano himself; it could have been provided by someone else, or Equiano, not having mastered English yet, could have misunderstood the question and reported where he came from last.[9] Even if Equiano did provide South Carolina as his birthplace, it must be understood that during Equiano’s time, slaves from Africa were frowned upon, and to help himself, Equiano could have presented himself as an Atlantic creole, born in America.[10] Then later in his life, when he was writing his autobiography, he had no reason to hide his birthplace anymore.
In fact, besides for the two mentioned primary sources, many other primary sources and information from Equiano’s time actually validate his story. When Equiano tells of his childhood in Africa and of his Igbo tribe, including the Embrenche, his descriptions match those of other books about Africa, such as Anthony Benezet’s.[11] Some such as literary scholar S. E. Ogude suggest this shows that Equiano copied other books or stories from other slaves, but this works the other way just as easily; since his accounts are similar to others, it validates his account.[12] Equiano’s other dates can be verified through ship logs; the only other date in question would be his time on the Industrious Bee, but considering his traumatic youth, “an error would be understandable”.[13] Plus, some question why Equiano did not use his African name until later in his life, but during Equiano’s time, it was commonplace for former slaves to not use their African names, as in the case of Equiano’s friend Ottobah Cugoano, who used name John Stuart throughout his life. Historian Ira Berlin explains that “slaves clandestinely maintained their African names even as they answered their owner’s call”.[14]
In short, objections to Equiano’s birthplace are not strong enough to discredit the testimony given by Equiano himself, and any arguments are overshadowed by Equiano’s own voice as presented in his Narrative. I think that until further information can be uncovered, Equiano’s story will still stand.
[1] Robert J. Allison, introduction to The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Written by Himself: With Related Documents (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007), 24.
[2] Brycchan Carey, “Where Was Olaudah Equiano Born? (And Why Does It Matter?)” http://www.brycchancarey.com/equiano/nativity.htm (accessed 2/4/2012).
[3] Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Written by Himself: With Related Documents (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007), 41.
[4] Allison, introduction to The Interesting Narrative, 29.
[5] Ibid, 25.
[6] Ibid, 25.
[7] Ibid, 25.
[8] Ibid, 24.
[10] Andrew Barnes, Module 3 Lectures (Arizona State Online, 2012); from HST 300 Historical Inquiry, video, ecollege.asu.edu (accessed January 30, 2012).
[11] Equiano, The Interesting Narrative, 44.
[12] Allison, introduction to The Interesting Narrative, 28.
[13] Ibid, 25.
[14] Ira Berlin, “From Creole to African: Atlantic Creoles and the Origins of African-American Society in Mainland North America,” William and Mary Quarterly, Third Series, Vol. 53, No. 2, April 1996, 252.
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