London

When Equiano was a slave, he longed to be in London. To himself and many other slaves, London was seen as a place of freedom and opportunity for freed slaves (Ball). This led to as many as fifteen thousand people of African descent living in London in 1768 (Ball). Equiano longed to live here when he was a slave, moved by the astonishment he viewed when he immersed himself in the culture for the first time. When Equiano first came across the Europeans, he viewed them as spirit like and wanted to research all he could about their culture. At an early age, Equiano studied English until he, ”could now speak English tolerably well, and [he] perfectly understood everything that was said“ in the English tongue (Equiano 45). By speaking and learning the language, Equiano could assimilate himself in the European culture he longed for.

Image 1: Portrait of Olaudah Equiano from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

 At first Equiano had a pleasurable time in London. There he was educated, baptized, and treated with better care as opposed to his treatment in other harsher nations. Equiano was given such treatment through the Miss Guerins, as the slaves in London were treated as domestic servants rather than lesser beings in other cultures for a short bit of time (Catherine). This treatment Equiano first received when he arrived in London is what led him to hold this early fascination with London.


Although Equiano viewed London as an ideal spot for himself, London wasn’t the sanctuary Equiano depicted for many slaves. As the black population grew in London, with many Africans seizing the luxuries they could find in London, the anti-African sentiment grew in London (Catherine). This anti-African sentiment led to the malpractice of slavery to worsen.

Image 2: African slaves loaded on board ship in Liverpool, one of the world's largest handler of slaves. From We will not give up on London slavery memorial .

Although there were fewer slaves in England, compared to other countries, the British people indulged in the intolerable work of slave labor for as long as they could ignore the depravity (Catherine). This led into the forced slavery and servitude of some Africans while others continued to live free (“Sites of Memory”). Many slaves were forced to reside in Guildhall on Gresham Street in London ─ a location that acted as a meeting spot for many of the individuals who orchestrated the slave trade (“Sites of Memory”). One of the prominent acts of slavery in London came from the fashion scene as it rapidly grew in the eighteenth century. This industry relied heavily on the exploitation of slave labor in the British colonies to produce fashion products (Catherine).


After some time, the abolitionist movement came to London and the end of the slave trade came with it. Around the late eighteenth century, the abolitionist movement had gained lots of steam. This lead to the abolishment of the slave trade in the early nineteenth century ─ in the year 1833 (“Sites of Memory”). The abolishment of slavery would sadly come at a time past Equiano’s life ─ Equiano pasted away in 1797. Although Equiano may have lived as a somewhat free man in London, he wouldn’t be able to enjoy seeing other Africans be free in London until thirty six years past his death.