From Olaudah Equiano's On Being Brought From Africa To America

Eboe (Nigerian) born Olaudah Equiano was kidnapped as a child and sold to slave traders going to the West Indies, where after that he spent most of his life on ships serving the captains of slave ships and other navy vessels, presenting a more accurate insight into the importance of the slave trade to modernity. He was fortunate to save enough money to buy his freedom in 1766,also providing the idea of a lack of sailors if the risk was too high, as many seamen and sailors would die at sea due to the poor living conditions, allowing black men to earn some money during treacherous voyages. Equiano views each voyage as "an opportunity of getting a sum large enough to purchase" his liberty through his own trades. When Equiano eventually acquires …show more content…
Being subject to a variety of discriminations, being a woman and black she was able to publish successful poems, although commonly directed at the religious aspect of the importance of Christianity for a slave, she also touches upon issues relating to race in “On Being Brought from Africa to America” being a powerful insight into slavery leading us to connect these issues into Gilroy’s idea of the “Black Atlantic”. Using rhyme and iambic pedometer "On Being Brought" mixes themes of slavery, Christianity, and salvation, and although it's unusual for Wheatley to write about being a slave taken from Africa to America, this poem powerful addresses ideas of liberty, religion, and racial equality. Phillis Wheatley’s writings is all centred around the subject of change, as is the way we view the “Black Atlantic” Wheatley had to change her country, her name and chose to change her religion in order to help conquer the ideal her life had be subject …show more content…
As Gilroy wrote: "The history of the black Atlantic since then, continually crisscrossed by the movement of black people--not only as commodities--but engaged in various struggles towards emancipation, autonomy, and citizenship, is a means to re-examine the problems of nationality, location, identity, and historical memory." The poem by Phillis Wheatley greatly enlightens Gilroy’s thesis, being a strong figure in the fight for freedom and equality within the Black community, also emphasizing the idea that knowledge is power to those Black people who were unable to read and write, seeing the impact she made through her poems. England, unlike the United States, gave Black intellectuals the opportunity to publish their writings. The poem by Phillis Wheatley greatly enlightens Gilroy’s thesis, being a strong figure in the fight for freedom and equality within the