A Summary Of Emmanuel's Journey To Natchez
Emmanuel was born into a very privileged family in the western Nigerian village of Osogun, part of the Yoruba tribe. He attended school and lived a normal teenage life. He had one other sibling and very loving parents. Little did he know his world was about to be turned upside-down. In 1821 his village was raided and he was captured into slavery. He was separated from his parents but his brother, Jonathan, was with him. He ended up being held on a Portuguese slave ship. The voyage began and he was stripped of his belongings and his dignity. This eight moon journey to Natchez, Mississippi was one of the hardest experiences of his life. Jonathan had caught a illness that was going around the boat and died on the first moon of the journey. He
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Saturday was the slave trading day. Emmanuel was very strong and would be of great use to any plantation owner. A wealthy cotton plantation owner names Mr. Groves purchased Emmanuel and three other slaves for guns and other goods such as brass pans and cotton. He was identified as number two since slaves were not known by their names. Emmanuel and the others were forced to walk behind Mr. Groves’s horse all the way to his plantation. There they saw endless cotton fields. Mr. Groves had invested in lots of cotton and it turns out that his gambling paid off. With the help of slaves like Emmanuel, Mr. Groves plantation would become one of the most profitable plantations in Mississippi. Mr. Groves was married and had three children. One of his children was the same age as Emmanuel. Her name was Maria. She was always taught that slaves were not equal to them and should be looked down on, but Emmanuel was different. She quickly began to have a interest in him. Mr. Groves noticing this, punished Emmanuel by whipping him and telling him to stay away. Maria would watch Emmanuel work in the cotton fields and would sneak off to see him. Emmanuel fell in love with Maria but knew they could never be together. He had found comfort in loving her. Ever since he was captured from his village, he hadn’t felt happiness until
Saturday was the slave trading day. Emmanuel was very strong and would be of great use to any plantation owner. A wealthy cotton plantation owner names Mr. Groves purchased Emmanuel and three other slaves for guns and other goods such as brass pans and cotton. He was identified as number two since slaves were not known by their names. Emmanuel and the others were forced to walk behind Mr. Groves’s horse all the way to his plantation. There they saw endless cotton fields. Mr. Groves had invested in lots of cotton and it turns out that his gambling paid off. With the help of slaves like Emmanuel, Mr. Groves plantation would become one of the most profitable plantations in Mississippi. Mr. Groves was married and had three children. One of his children was the same age as Emmanuel. Her name was Maria. She was always taught that slaves were not equal to them and should be looked down on, but Emmanuel was different. She quickly began to have a interest in him. Mr. Groves noticing this, punished Emmanuel by whipping him and telling him to stay away. Maria would watch Emmanuel work in the cotton fields and would sneak off to see him. Emmanuel fell in love with Maria but knew they could never be together. He had found comfort in loving her. Ever since he was captured from his village, he hadn’t felt happiness until