George Whitefield, Google , Equiano and slavery

2007

Analyzes the political importance of Equiano's representation of Africa in relation to travel writers and the slavery-antislavery debate

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) News

From the middle of the 15th century, Africa entered into a unique relationship with Europe that led to the devastation and depopulation of Africa, but contributed to the wealth and development of Europe. From then until the end of the 19th century, Europeans began to establish a trade for African captives.

Dictionary of African Biography, 2011

Exchange, 2013

This article investigates Olaudah Equiano’s representations of Europe and European Christianity. It argues that Equiano’s depictions of Europe are ambiguous, reflecting both his admiration for Europe’s grandeur and development as well as his rejection of Europe’s exploitative practices. His descriptions of Igboland mainly reflect European abolitionist and colonial discourses. Equiano’s religious representations are multi-facetted; they mirror his evangelical convictions, yet also express an appreciation for Islam and Igbo religiosity. The overall purpose of Equiano’s territorial as religious representations seems reinforcement of his abolitionist advocacy.

Jonathan Edwards at …, 2005

European countries, rushed for the race of exporting the slaves, and dominated the Trade through the 1800's with more than two and a half million enslaved Africans shipped all the way from western Africa across the Atlantic like any other merchandise discussed what to be exchanged for, and shipped in the most cruel way causing the death of thousands of enslaved Africans inside the cargos even before being transported. Those voyages were chartered by the queen and sponsored by London's most powerful and wealthy financiers, who promoted them for the profits without giving any second thought on how brutal and unfair this business could be. This kind of behavior that ignored all sorts of human rights caused the launching of a mass campaign for the abolition of the slave trade. In the eighteenth century, new political and religious ideas in Europe and North America brought slavery into question. Increasing numbers of Christians, inspired by their religious beliefs and a desire for moral improvement, questioned the traditional acceptance of slavery by established churches. At the same time, the movement known as "The Enlightenment" proposed that all men were born equal and had a natural right to freedom. From these revolutionary ideas and beliefs, enslaved Africans saw a chance of freedom, demanding for themselves the rights that white people had. Consequently, many former English slave traders, politicians and priests led the abolition campaign and demanded for the slave trade to be banned.

Transformations in Slavery