What was Equiano’s attitude regarding his life in the British Navy? According to Wikipedia “Olaudah Equiano (c. 1745 – 31 March 1797), known for most of his life as Gustavus Vassa was a writer and abolitionist from, according to his memoir, the Eboe region of the Kingdom of Benin (today southern Nigeria). Enslaved as a child in Africa, he was taken to the Caribbean and sold as a slave to a Royal Navy officer. He was sold twice more but purchased his freedom in 1766.” When Equiano was eleven he and his sister were at home by themselves while the adults were working, which was normal. Not long after that Equiano was separated from his sister and taken into slavery.  This happened often. If you read some of my earlier essays about slavery you would have read how evil slavery was. According to Merriam-Webster, slavery means “the state of being a slave.” And according to Merriam-Webster a slave is “a person who is the legal property of another and is forced to obey them.” That means that a person can buy an African-American and force him to work for him without getting paid and with little food. Back then white men were evil to whip African-Americans and make them feel that no one cared about them. White men thought that God cared less about African-Americans just because they were a different slave color. They were wrong.

And back to the topic. What was Equiano’s attitude regarding his life in the British Navy? This answer is surprising. I think that he thought of the British Navy was actually positive. What was funny about this was that when Equiano first saw the Sailors of the British Navy he thought that they were going to eat him. He asked someone who was on the ship if they were going to eat him and he said no. Equiano finally and thankfully got over his fear. I’m really glad that slavery does not exist anymore.