Book Review: Black Rebellion-Five Slave Revolts & The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

I will review both of these books in this post as they cover similar themes: the continuous struggle for freedom and dignity of African slaves in the Americas.

Black Rebellion-Five Slave Revolts

History is freeing, because knowledge gives one power. Freedom without the power of knowing is an illusion, because slavery is based on ignorance. Hence, I gained much power and became freer from reading this book. The five slave rebellions that were discussed in this text were:

1. The Maroons of Jamaica
2. The Maroons of Surinam
3. Gabriel's Defeat
4. Denmark Vesey
5. Nat Turners Insurrection

Being of Jamaican heritage I was familiar with the story of the Jamaican Maroons, but had no knowledge that there was a similar Maroon insurrection in Surinam. I had also heard about Nat Turner, but didn't know the details of the insurrection he led. There is a blog I frequent with the moniker Denmark Vesey, but I never had any knowledge of the significance of the name. Now that I do, I have a deeper understanding of the relevance of it's content.  

As people of African heritage in the Americas, we have always been people of rebellion. Our history, as told by us, proves this fact. We have never been childishly content with our situation, as our captors would have us believe... even today. We have continuously struggled against all odds, sometimes with success, sometimes with failure and then suffered enormous and inhuman consequences.

For me, this book provided more knowledge and therefore more power to continue with my daily struggle as a Black man in the Americas.

The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano      

I recently watched for the second time the movie Amazing Grace, which chronicles the life long efforts of William Wilberforce to get legislation passed in the British Parliament to end the slave trade. One of the characters, Olaudah Equiano, was played by one of my favourite singers, Senegalese Youssou N'Dour.

When I got my Amazon Kindle, one of the free ebooks offered was his autobiography, published in 1789. His life story and ordeal is a fascinating one. He chronicles his enslavement and journey through Africa to the coast, his experiences on a slave ship where he was brought to America and the circumstances where he was eventually able to purchase his freedom. He documents his travels to various parts of the world (including the Artic) as a sailor and the struggles, as well as the situations he had to endure, not only to survive, but also to keep his freedom throughout his life. He further lays out how his various trials, tribulations and triumphs, nurtured his deep and unwavering faith in God, which lead to his eventual conversion to Christianity.   

The life of this African man would make an inspiring movie of what is possible to achieve in a cruel, oppressive and hostile world, as it was for a Black man then... and now. Amazing Grace indeed.