Voices from Slavery

The book tells the true stories of four Africans, drawing as far as possible on their own writings. The four individuals lived at different times and in different circumstances but their stories have a common central theme because each one was a victim of what is one of the greatest human rights abuses of all time, the African slave trade. Each became a free man, received an education and had the rare opportunity of recording and reflecting on their experiences for the wider world to read. We hear their stories unfold through their own narratives, although the sources of their words vary from comprehensive biography to collection of letters.

Through the telling of their stories and helpful commentary by the author, himself an African, we can read "first hand accounts" of life as a slave and freed man in the 18th century. All had strong religious beliefs and we are able to hear their personal views and reflections on a range of topics including Christianity, God, humanity and the slave trade itself. Though the four men Sancho, Gronniosaw, Equiano and Cugoano all had a sense of God working in their lives and trials, their understanding of the nature of faith and their relationship with the spiritual varies considerably.

The book reveals the black Africans as visionaries, and highlights their often underestimated contribution toward the abolition of slavery. Their stories resonate with contemporary issues in our world, posing questions about identity and culture in multi-ethnic communities in Britain today, how Christian faith enlightens debates about the place of religion in national life, and invites the exploration of the similarities between slavery and modern racism. In a Postscript written with researchers in mind, the author describes his own findings regarding the precise location of Equiano's origin in present day Nigeria.