Black History Fact of the Day 5

In 1794 former slave and now successful author Olaudah Equiano came to Norwich for several months to lecture and participate in local events coinciding with the 8th enlarged edition of his “Interesting Narrative” that was published here. Equiano was a prominent member of the British cultural life of that time and one of the first black members of the Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. His “Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavuss Vassa, the African” was an influential and popular book that was in print from 1789 until 1837 and again since the 1960s. It is a fascinating read revealing much about the treatment of slaves and free blacks but also about the thinking in that era. You can find out more about him at a talk “Olaudah Came to Norwich” on Saturday 11 October 2008, 11am, Norfolk & Norwich Millennium Library & Wednesday 22nd October, 2.30pm, Gt Yarmouth Library. You can hear a short excerpt from his book on podcast.futureradio.co.uk which will also be broadcast on Platform on the 12th of October.

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