21. A SON OF AFRICA - Resources For Teachers olaudah equiano, an Ibo from Nigeria, was just 11 years old when he was kidnapped Source The Interesting Narrative of the Life of olaudah equiano or http://www.newsreel.org/guides/equiano.htm

ORDER TRACKING CONTACT US close home ... A Son of Africa A SON OF AFRICA Resources for Teachers Excerpts from "The Interesting Narrative of Olauda Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa the African" (London, 1789) "THEY...CARRY OFF AS MANY AS THEY CAN SEIZE" "A MULTITUDE OF BLACK PEOPLE...CHAINED TOGETHER" "DREAD AND TREMBLING" "THE STRONG ANALOGY...IN THE MANNERS...OF MY COUNTRYMEN, AND THOSE OF THE JEWS" Text and commentary prepared by Prof. Steven Mintz, University of Houston LINKS TO OTHER SITES ON SLAVE NARRATIVES Documenting the American South: The Southern Experience in the 19th Century The Spartacus Internet Encyclopedia Slave Trade search site Selected Bibliography Bontemps, Arna, ed., Great Slave Narratives . Boston: Beacon Press 1969. Curtin, Philip D., ed. Africa Remembered: Narratives by West Africans from the Era of the Slave Trade . Madison: University of Wisconsin Press 1967. Equiano, Olaudah; Vincent Carretta, ed., The Interesting Narrative and Other Writings , New York: Penguin 1995.

22. Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797) equiano, olaudah. The Interesting Narrative and Other Writings. Ed. Vincent Carretta. New York Penguin, 1995. (Contains introduction and extensive http://college.hmco.com/english/heath/syllabuild/iguide/vassa.html

Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797) Contributing Editor: Angelo Costanzo Classroom Issues and Strategies I use Equiano as an introduction to American slave narrative literature and demonstrate the important influence of autobiographical form and style on the whole range of African-American literature up to the present day, including its impact on such writers as Richard Wright Ralph Ellison Alice Walker , and Toni Morrison Students are particularly interested in the way the whites conducted the slave trade in Africa by using the Africans themselves to kidnap their enemies and sell them into slavery. Equiano was sold this way. Also their interest is aroused by Equiano's fascinating descriptions of Africa as a self-sufficient culture and society before the incursions of the whites. Students are moved by the graphic scenes of slavery, the Middle Passage experience described by Equiano, and his persistent desire for freedom. Most of all, they enjoy reading the first-person account of a well-educated and resourceful former slave whose life story is filled with remarkable adventures and great achievements. Since students have no prior knowledge of Equiano's life and work, I give background information on the history and commerce of the eighteenth-century slave trade, placing in this context Equiano's life storyhis kidnapping, Middle Passage journey, slavery in the Western world, education, religion, and seafaring adventures. I also describe his abolitionist efforts in Great Britain, and I say something about his use of neoclassical prose in the autobiography.

23. PAL: Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797) Information and links from Paul Reuben s PAL website. http://web.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap2/equiano.html

PAL: Perspectives in American Literature - A Research and Reference Guide - An Ongoing Project Paul P. Reuben (To send an email, please click on my name above.) Chapter 2: Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797) Primary Works Selected BibliographY 1980-Present Study Questions MLA Style Citation of this Web Page ... Home Page Source: Olaudah Equiano Among the tradition of slave narratives, Equiano's is considered a remarkable achievement since the autobiographical style was not a well-developed genre in the eighteenth century. His narrative has vivid and concrete details and is written in the picaresque style. Equiano also provides a detailed account of the his kidnapping, his trek through the jungles, his arrival at the sea coast, and the arduous crossing of the Atlantic in the belly of a slave ship. Primary Works The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself E-Text Equiano's Travels: His Autobiography , ed. Paul Edwards, 1967. The life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by himself.

24. Modern History Sourcebook: Life Of Gustavus Vassa The Life of Gustavus Vassa , by olaudah equiano was the first firstever slave autobiography, using his slave name, written after he was freed and living http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/Vassa.html

Back to Modern History SourceBook Modern History Sourcebook: Life of Gustavus Vassa The Life of Gustavus Vassa , by Olaudah Equiano was the first first-ever slave autobiography, using his slave name, written after he was freed and living living in England. The autobiography covers all of Equiano's life - his boyhood in the Gold Coast , his capture and transportation to the West Indies, and his success in business - a success which enabled him to buy his freedom. Chapter Two, given here, relates his capture and transportation in Africa. Chapter 5 relates the abuse of slaves in the West Indies. The autobiography was a success. It helped open us the opposition to slavery which began to gather force towards the later 18th century. The Life of Gustavus Vassa Chapter 2 The Atlantic Voyage While we stayed on the coast I was mostly on deck; and one day, to my great astonishment, I saw one of these vessels coming in with the sails up. As soon as the whites saw it, they gave a great shout, at which we were amazed; and the more so, as the vessel appeared larger by approaching nearer. At last, she came to an anchor in my sight, and when the anchor was let go, I and my countrymen who saw it, were lost in astonishment to observe the vessel stop and were now convinced it was done by magic. Soon after this the other ship got her boats out, and they came on board of us, and the people of both ships seemed very glad to see each other. Several of the strangers also shook hands with us black people, and made motions with their hands, signifying I suppose, we were to go to their country, but we did not understand them.

25. The Interesting Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The Download the free eBook The Interesting Narrative of the Life of olaudah equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15399

Online Book Catalog Quick Search Author: Title Word(s): EText-No.: Advanced Search Recent Books Top 100 Offline Catalogs ... Main Page Project Gutenberg needs your donation! More Info Did you know that you can help us produce ebooks by proof-reading just one page a day? Go to: Distributed Proofreaders The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The Help Read online Bibliographic Record Creator Equiano, Olaudah, 1745-1797 Title The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African Written By Himself Language English EText-No. Release Date Base Directory /files/15399/ Download this ebook for free Formats Available For Download Format Encoding ¹ Compression Size Download Links Plucker none unknown main site HTML none 504 KB main site mirror sites HTML zip 228 KB main site mirror sites Plain text iso-8859-1 none 468 KB main site mirror sites Plain text iso-8859-1 zip 172 KB main site mirror sites Plain text us-ascii none 468 KB main site mirror sites Plain text us-ascii zip 172 KB main site mirror sites ¹ If you need a special character set, try our online recoding service

26. Amazing Grace: The Movie - Meet The Cast A central figure in the abolitionist movement in Great Britain, olaudah equiano (c.1745–1797) wrote an eyewitness account of his life as a slave and of his http://www.amazinggracemovie.com/castcrew_equiano.php

About The Production Meet The Cast Meet The Crew Film Image Gallery Film Credits Group Sales Please fill in all fields before submitting Your Name: Your E-mail: Recipient's E-mail: Your Message (optional): Processing, one moment... This page has been sent to Send to Another Friend Meet the Cast William Wilberforce played by Ioan Gruffudd Barbara Spooner played by Romola Garai Olaudah Equiano played by Youssou N'Dour John Newton played by Albert Finney Pitt the Younger played by Benedict Cumberbatch Lord Fox played by Michael Gambon Thomas Clarkson played by Rufus Sewell Lord Tarleton played by Ciaran Hinds Duke of Clarence played by Toby Jones Olaudah Equiano played by Youssou N'Dour Meet Olaudah Equiano The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa the African. Though born in what is now Nigeria, Equiano was kidnapped and sold into slavery in childhood and taken as a slave to the New World. As a slave to a captain in the Royal Navy, and later to a Quaker merchant, he eventually earned the price of his own freedom by careful trading and saving. Equiano, like Wilberforce, stood for more than just abolition. Equiano was an African, a slave, a sailor, an Englishman, an abolitionist, a Christian, a writer. He used his many titles to show how slavery brutalizes society as a whole.

27. Equiano My name is olaudah equiano, formerly known as Gustavus Vassa the African. You may have read my autobiography The Interesting Narrative . http://www.webquests.comptonhistory.com/Equiano webquest.htm

Welcome, my friend. My name is Olaudah Equiano, formerly known as Gustavus Vassa the African. You may have read my autobiography 'The Interesting Narrative ...' which was published a few years ago (OK 215 years ago!). I would like you to help me update my book for the 21st century so that I, Olaudah Equiano, can have my very own webpage. I am glad that I found you, I have been looking for someone to help me modernise my image and get my story into cyberspace. I have been thinking about what I would like on my webpage and I have decided that I would like the following areas to be written about: The background to the Atlantic Slave Trade What happened to me when I was captured as a slave What the conditions were like as a slave in America What happened after I gained my freedom The fight against Slavery and my work with the anti slavery society You should use the following websites to help find out about my story: http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/pages/slavery/equiano.htm http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Sequiano.htm http://www.atomicage.com/equiano/life.html http://www.wsu.edu:8000/~dee/Equiano.html ... http://www.brycchancarey.com/equiano/index.htm I would like you to work in teams to put my story on the Internet: The research team - your role is to collect enough information about each of the sections to allow the writers to do their job The writing team - your role is to use the information gathered by the researchers and write the material for each section

28. Black History Month: Home olaudah equiano When thinking of the abolitionists of the 18th Century, His publication The Interesting Narrative of the Life of olaudah equiano, http://www.black-history-month.co.uk/articles/olaudah_equiano.html

Home Events News/Features Jobs ... FAQ HISTORY Men Women Events Places Contributions Achievements Inventions Orbituaries Submit info BOOKS All Books History Books Historical Figures Black Women ... Sports CD / DVD All CD/DVD's Music Movies Educational ... Business Fun Children Health Olaudah Equiano The slave who became a best selling author and abolitionist Life and death in the hold Equiano buys his freedom During this time he began working within the abolitionist movement, and it was his publication The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano which caused a sensation in 1789. His writings served to pave the way in shifting the mindset of a nation accustomed to slavery. A first hand account Following the commercial success of his publication, he was able to use his position as a best selling author to speak of the horrors of slavery. Equiano demonstrated that the abolitionist movement was not the preserve of Wilberforce and fellow campaigners, but also of those who had experienced slavery at first hand. Equiano settles into married life Although he never saw the changes in his lifetime, he had played an eloquent part in bringing an end to the slave trade. Ten years after his death, the first piece of British legislation was enacted abolishing slave trade on British ships. It took a further forty years to see the abolition in the British colonies.

29. 7. Olaudah Equiano, Writer And Abolitionist (1745-97) The first political leader of Britain’s black community, equiano was born in Nigeria and kidnapped by slave traders at the age of 11. http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/archives/blackpresence/07.cfm

var gMenuControlID=0; var menus_included = 0; var jsPageAuthorMode = 0; var jsSessionPreviewON = 1; var jsDlgLoader = '/libraries/archives/blackpresence/loader.cfm'; var jsSiteID = 1; var jsSubSiteID = 366; var kurrentPageID = 10665; @import url(/style/screen.css); @import url(/style/default_theme.css); document.CS_StaticURL = "http://winprwbcfa01-mgt/"; document.CS_DynamicURL = "http://winprwbcfa01-mgt/"; About Us Press Office Contact Us Help ... A Fast Find A-Z of Services Forms Maps Your nearest... I Want To... I want to.. Contact my councillor Pay a parking ticket Park in Westminster Find a job vacancy Apply for a licence View the licensing register View planning applications Report a street problem Report a racist incident Search the library catalogue View council tax information Search Westminster Online Search by Keyword Home Topics Libraries and archives Archives ... Celebrating the Black Presence in Westminster 7. Olaudah Equiano, writer and abolitionist (1745-97) Go to next image Go back to previous image Go back to 'Celebrating the Black Presence in Westminster' home page 2006 Westminster City Council. Contact the

30. "Is It Not Enough That We Are Torn From Our Country And Friends?": Olaudah Equia olaudah equiano Describes the Horrors of the Middle Passage, 1780s olaudah equiano had been kidnapped from his family when he was 11 years old, http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6372/

home many pasts evidence www.history ... about us One day they had taken a number of fishes; and when they had killed and satisfied themselves with as many as they thought fit, to our astonishment who were on deck, rather than give any of them to us to eat, as we expected, they tossed the remaining fish into the sea again, although we begged and prayed for some as well as we could, but in vain; and some of my countrymen, being pressed by hunger, took an opportunity, when they thought no one saw them, of trying to get a little privately; but they were discovered, and the attempt procured them some very severe floggings. During our passage, I first saw flying fishes, which surprised me very much; they used frequently to fly across the ship, and many of them fell on the deck. I also now first saw the use of the quadrant; I had often with astonishment seen the mariners make observations with it, and I could not think what it meant. They at last took notice of my surprise; and one of them, willing to increase it, as well as to gratify my curiosity, made me one day look through it. The clouds appeared to me to be land, which disappeared as they passed along. This heightened my wonder; and I was now more persuaded than ever, that I was in another world, and that every thing about me was magic. Source: Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa

31. Equiano, Olaudah We reveal stories about freedom s heroes, from the era of the Underground Railroad to contemporary times, challenging and inspiring everyone to take http://www.freedomcenter.org/learn/underground-railroad/people/equiano-olaudah.h

Visit the Freedom Center Attend Events Up Next Video Tour ... People Equiano, Olaudah Equiano, Olaudah (1745- 1797) In 1756 the young son and daughter of an Ibo tribal elder in what is now Nigeria were kidnapped for the slave trade. The children were separated and Equiano was led on a 7-month journey to the west coast of Africa. There he was taken on a slave ship and sold to a Virginia plantation owner. Later Equiano was sold to a British naval officer and a slaveholding Quaker. He learned to read and write English and picked up some European business skills. In 1766, Equiano purchased his own freedom. Equiano told of his experiences in The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano published in 1789 in London. It is one of the few accounts of the horrible nature of the middle passage the 5-12 week voyage from Africa to the Americas. For younger readers: Cameron, Ann The Kidnapped Prince: The Life of Olaudah Equiano (Random House, 2000). Reading level: Ages 9-12. For older readers: Equiano, Olaudah (ed.) Mary Rowlandson, Gordon M. Sayre (ed.), Paul Lauter(ed.) American Captivity Narratives: Selected Narratives With Introduction New Riverside Editions (Mariner Books, 2000).

32. Soham On-Line - History & Tourism - Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The Anti Perhaps the most famous marriage at St. Andrew s Church, Soham in Cambridgeshire was between olaudah equiano (The African) and Susannah Cullen (Spinster of http://www.soham.org.uk/history/olaudahequiano.htm

window.defaultStatus = "Soham On-Line Community Website" Menu Home Advertising Amenities Ancestors ... What's On Useful Links Local National Government Business Directories Villages Parental Safety Youth var site="s19soham" Visitors Since OLAUDAH EQUIANO OR GUSTAVUS VASSA Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa 'The African'- b.1745 d.1797 Perhaps the most famous marriage at St. Andrew's Church , Soham in Cambridgeshire was between Olaudah Equiano (The African) and Susannah Cullen (Spinster of the the Parish of Soham) on the 7th April 1792. Slavery was still in force at the time of their marriage and although rare at the time mixed marriages are not an entirely modern phenomenon. Olaudah Equiano otherwise known as Gustavus Vassa was the African slave who gained his freedom and became an activist for the abolition of slavery in the 18th Century. He wrote his celebrated Autobiography - 'The Interesting Narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African 1789' which is still available to buy to this day. A watercolour of St. Andrew's Church dating from about the time of the Abolition of Slavery in 1810.

33. Olaudah Equiano - Research And Read Books, Journals, Articles At Research olaudah equiano at the Questia.com online library. http://www.questia.com/library/literature/olaudah-equiano.jsp

34. Olaudah Equiano - Authors - Random House Random House Random House will keep you up to date on the works of olaudah equiano! Enter your email address below to enroll. http://www.randomhouse.com/author/results.pperl?authorid=8162

35. Olaudah Equiano (Gustavus Vassa) (c.1745-c.1797) African/American Writer. (c.1745c.1797) African/American writer. olaudah equiano (Gustavus Vassa) is famous for The Interesting Narrative of the Life of olaudah equiano, http://classiclit.about.com/od/equianoolaudah/Equiano_Olaudah.htm

zGCID=" test0" zGCID=" test0 test8" zJs=10 zJs=11 zJs=12 zJs=13 zc(5,'jsc',zJs,9999999,'') You are here: About Education Classic Literature A-to-Z Writers ... E - Writers - Last Names Equiano, Olaudah Classic Literature Education Classic Literature Essentials ... E - Writers - Last Names Equiano, Olaudah Equiano, Olaudah (c.1745-c.1797) African/American writer. Olaudah Equiano (Gustavus Vassa) is famous for "The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African. Written by Himself." Books About Olaudah Equiano (Gustavus Vassa) Olaudah Equiano (Gustavus Vassa) is perhaps most famous for his autobiography, "The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano," which dramatically depicts his kidnapping from an African village and his horrendous voyage to the West Indies and eventually to North America. His work is one of the famous slave narratives. Read more about his life. Slave Narratives Slave narratives are an important part of American literature. Writers like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs helped to dispell many of the misconceptions of slavery, as they revealed personal experiences. Slavery of Africans Although slavery has been practiced for almost the whole of recorded history, the vast numbers involved in the African slave trade has left a legacy which can not be ignored.

36. Powell's Books - Life Of Olaudah Equiano (Dover Thrift Editions) By Olaudah Equi The journey of an Igbo prince from captivity to freedom and literacy; his enslavement in the New World, service in the Seven Years War, voyages to the http://www.powells.com/biblio?isbn=9780486406619

37. African American Registry: Olaudah Equiano, Slave And Author! On this date in 1745, we remember the birth of olaudah equiano, an African slave, and author. http://www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/1233/Olaudah_Equiano_slave_an

Olaudah Equiano, slave and author! Home Donate to the Registry Benefactors What Happened on Your Birthday? ... Contact March 12 Olaudah Equiano *On this date in 1745, we remember the birth of Olaudah Equiano, an African slave, and author. From Nigeria, Equiano, also known as (Gustavus Vassa), was kidnapped from his African village at the age of eleven, shipped through the grueling "Middle Passage" of the Atlantic Ocean, hardened in the West Indies and sold to a Virginia planter. He was later bought by a British naval Officer, Captain Pascal, as a present for his cousins in London. After ten years of enslavement throughout the North America, where he assisted his merchant slave master and worked as a seaman, Equiano bought his freedom. At the age of forty-four he wrote and published his autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African. Written by Himself, he registered this writing at Stationer’s Hall, London, in 1789. More than two centuries later, his work was recognized not only as one of the first works written in English by a former slave, but perhaps more important as the paradigm of the slave narrative, a (then) new literary genre. In his narrative, Equiano recalls his childhood in Essaka (an Igbo village formerly in northeast Nigeria), where he was adorned in the tradition of the "greatest warriors." He was unique in his remembrance of traditional African life before the advent of the European slave trade. Equally significant is Equiano’s life on the high seas, which included not only travels throughout the Americas, Turkey, and the Mediterranean, but also participation in major naval battles during the French and Indian War (Seven Years’ War), as well as in the search for a northwest passage led by the Phipps expedition of 1772-1773.

38. Olaudah Equiano — Infoplease.com In 1789, he published his autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of olaudah equiano, or Gustavus Vassa the African, which had a strong http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0878502.html

Site Map FAQ in All Infoplease Almanacs Biographies Dictionary Encyclopedia Spelling Checker Daily Almanac for Jan 26, 2008 Search White Pages Skip Navigation Home Almanacs ... Word of the Day Editor's Favorites 2007 Year in Review Black History Month Leap Year Martin Luther King Day ... 2008 Calendar Search: Infoplease Info search tips Search: Biographies Bio search tips Biography Olaudah Equiano Gustavus Vassa abolitionist, writer Born: c. 1745 Birthplace: present day Nigeria An Igbo, Equiano was captured and sold into slavery as a child. He was taken to the West Indies where his slave name became Gustavus, after a 16th century Swedish king. Taught to read and write, he was able to purchase his own freedom. Equiano made his way to London, where he worked briefly in a government office helping resettle blacks in Africa, probably making him the first black British civil servant. In 1789, he published his autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa the African, which had a strong abolitionist message. Though some critics called it propaganda, the book was a financial success. In 1792, Equiano married an Englishwoman, Susanna Cullen. They had two daughters. Died: c. 1800

39. Equiano, Olaudah - Hutchinson Encyclopedia Article About Equiano, Olaudah Hutchinson encyclopedia article about equiano, olaudah. equiano, olaudah. Information about equiano, olaudah in the Hutchinson encyclopedia. http://encyclopedia.farlex.com/Equiano, Olaudah

Domain='thefreedictionary.com' word='Equiano, Olaudah' Printer Friendly 761,389,263 visitors served. TheFreeDictionary Google Word / Article Starts with Ends with Text subscription: Dictionary/ thesaurus Medical dictionary Legal dictionary Financial dictionary Acronyms Idioms Encyclopedia Wikipedia encyclopedia Hutchinson encyclopedia Equiano, Olaudah 0.04 sec. write_ads(AdsNum, 0) Equiano, Olaudah ( c. African antislavery campaigner and writer. He travelled widely as a free man. His autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African (1789), is one of the earliest significant works by an African written in English. Equiano was born near the River Niger in what is now Nigeria. He was captured at the age of 11 and sold to slavers, who transported him to the West Indies. He learned English and bought his freedom at the age of 21. He subsequently sailed to the Mediterranean and the Arctic, before being appointed commissary of stores for freed slaves returning to Sierra Leone. He was an active campaigner against slavery. As a free man Equiano worked briefly as a slave overseer in Central America, as a sailor, and as a hairdresser, and settled eventually in England, marrying a woman from Cambridgeshire. In 1787 the charity providing food for unemployed former slaves in London endorsed a plan to send them to a new colony in Sierra Leone in Africa, and Equiano was appointed to look after supplies. He found corruption among the organizers, and complained that the colonists were being held aboard ship in unhealthy conditions long before the expedition was ready to start, after which he was asked to stand down. In the early 1790s he went on a tour of England, Scotland, and Ireland, speaking against the slave trade. He printed a number of editions of his autobiography while on tour, and booksellers in the USA and Europe also printed editions. Equiano was in touch with other abolitionists, including Granville

40. Slave Trade As Root To African Crisis olaudah equiano, an exslave, described in his memoirs published in 1789 how African rulers carried out raids to capture slaves. When a trader wants slaves http://www.afbis.com/analysis/slave.htm

Slave trade: a root of contemporary African Crisis By Tunde Obadina "The past is what makes the present coherent," said Afro-American writer James Baldwin, and the past "will remain horrible for exactly as long as we refuse to assess it honestly." Why go back five centuries to start an explanation of Africa's crisis in the late 1990s? Must every story of Africa's political and economic under-development begin with the contact with Europe? The intention is not to produce another nationalist tract on how whites, driven by lust for material possession and armed with firearms, gin and a bag full of tricks, subjugated innocent Africans who were living blissfully close to nature. The reason for looking back is that the root of the crisis facing African societies is their failure to come to terms with the consequences of that contact. Portuguese seamen first landed in Africa in the fourth decade of the fifteenth century. From the outset they seized Africans and shipped them to Europe. In 1441 ten Africans were kidnapped from the Guinea coast and taken to Portugal as gifts to Prince Henry the Navigator. In subsequent expeditions to the West African coast, inhabitants were taken and shipped to Portugal to be sold as servants and objects of curiosity to households. In the Portuguese port of Lagos, where the first African slaves landed in 1442, the old slave market now serves as an art gallery. Portuguese adventurers who sailed southeast along the Gulf of Guinea in 1472 landed on the coast of what became Nigeria. Others followed. They found people of varying cultures. Some lived in towns ruled by kings with nobility and courtiers, very much like the medieval societies they left behind them. A Dutch visitor to Benin City wrote in around 1600: "As you enter it, the town appears very great. You go into a great broad street, not paved, which seems to be seven or eight times broader than the Warmoes Street in Amsterdam...The houses in this town stand in good order, one close and even with the other, as the houses in Holland stand..." More than a century earlier Benin exchanged ambassadors with Portugal. But not all African societies were as developed. Some enjoyed village existence in primeval forests remote from outside influences.

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