Ottobah cugoano autobiography of miss universe

Ottobah Cugoano was born in Africa in about As a child he was kidnapped by slave-traders. When we were put into the ship, we saw several black merchants coming on board, but we were all drove into our holes, and not suffered to speak to any of them. In this situation we continued several days in sight of our native land. And when we found ourselves at last taken away, death was more preferable than life; and a plan was concerted amongst us, that we might burn and blow up the ship, and to perish all together in the flames: but we were betrayed by one of our own countrywomen, who slept with some of the headmen of the ship, for it was common for the dirty filthy sailors to take the African women and lie upon their bodies; but the men were chained and pent up in holes.

It was the women and boys which were to burn the ship, with the approbation and groans of the rest; though that was prevented, the discovery was likewise a cruel bloody scene. For eating a piece of sugar-cane, some were cruelly lashed, or struck over the face, to knock their teeth out. Andrews Washington DC: Civitas, , pp. Cugoano's essay is reproduced entire at pp.

Selections Selections from Cugoano's writings can be found in the following collections: Adams, Francis D. Caretta, Vincent, ed. An extremely useful introduction to the subject. The is a generous selection at pp. Edwards, Paul and Dabydeen, David, eds. Facsimiles of Cugoano's Thoughts and Sentiments and hundreds of other slavery-related texts.

Together with Olaudah Equiano and other educated Africans living in Britain, Cugoano became active in the Sons of Africa , an abolitionist group whose members wrote frequently to the newspapers of the day, condemning the practice of slavery.

Ottobah cugoano autobiography of miss universe

Title page of Thoughts and Sentiments on the Evil and Wicked Traffic of the Slavery and Commerce of the Human Species In , he played a key role in the case of Henry Demane , a kidnapped black man who was to be shipped back to the West Indies. Cugoano contacted Granville Sharp , a well-known abolitionist, who was able to have Demane removed from the ship before it sailed.

By now a devout Christian , his work was informed by Cugoano's religious belief, and he used arguments around Christianity and global economics and politics for this cause. The work called for the abolition of slavery and immediate emancipation of all enslaved people.