The Life of Olaudah Equiano Sold Into Slavery for Seashells Lived to Petition the Queen of England As a Free Man

The Life of Mr. Olaudah Equiano is one of the greatest stories ever told. For a life to be full of triumph, that life must also be full of adversity. Mr. Equiano's memoir is filled with both adversity and triumph. His story begins with a beautiful description of his family and the day-to-day childhood activities in what today is considered Eastern Nigeria. Mr. Equiano's memoir allows the reader to experience the shock of seeing a European for the first time. His narrative style puts you right at his side as he shares the awe of seeing a slave slip for the first time. Your heart will go out to him as he experiences the fear and sorrow of being stolen from his family and sold into slavery by his African brethren for seashells.The institution of slavery is as old as the written word. The history of the world is filled with tales of the slave and the slave master. However, we are blessed with very few authentic narratives of the actual day-to-day experiences of someone who has been a slave. Unlike Alex Haley's fictitious best-selling novel Roots, this is a true story of a man who was born free, enslaved, freed, and then fought as an abolitionist for the freedom of others. Mr. Equiano's life story is an example of what a free person can achieve for himself and society. It is also an example of the power of literacy and one's faith in God. Mr. Equiano relies heavily on his Christian faith to see him through his trials and tribulations. He also utilizes his skills with the spoken and written word to help himself and those who needed the most help. Before Frederick Douglass petitioned the President of the United States on behalf of those in bondage, Mr. Equiano petition the Queen of England on their behalf. Fans of the autobiography of Frederick Douglass, you will love this memoir. Mr. Equiano does not sugar coat any of the horrors he experienced and witnessed as a slave. However, he also provides the reader with examples of how even the chains of bondage cannot stop the human heart from experiencing joy, gratitude, and love. Mr. Equiano's life is a reminder that we can't choose whom we are born to or where or when we are born. However, we all can choose how we live. I warn the reader not to judge those living in the eighteenth and nineteenth century by our modern-day, information-age moral standards. There is much to learn from history. The most important thing to learn is not to repeat it. Don't let the fear of offensive language keep the truth from being known.