91³Ô¹ÏÍø

Person    | Male  Born 1745  Died 31/3/1797

Olaudah Equiano

Categories: Literature, Race Issues

Countries: Africa

Olaudah Equiano

Born in an African village, he was sold into slavery, first locally, then in England, then in America where he managed to buy his freedom. He returned to England and wrote the first autobiography of a slave, 'The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, The African'.  Published in 1789 this was written mainly in Riding House Street, Marylebone. He went on to work with the abolitionists. For someone taken into slavery he lead an extraordinary live and must have been either very lucky, an exceptional person, or both.

Click on the picture source web site for more information.

2019: Equiano's place of burial was confirmed as the cemetery next to Whitfield’s Tabernacle on Tottenham Court Road. See the for a description of the discovery.

2022: show a nice bust of Equiano at the Greenwich National Maritime Museum.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Olaudah Equiano

Commemorated ati

Fitzrovia local mural

Cynthia Williams was added in 2000.

91³Ô¹ÏÍø

Olaudah Equiano burial

In memory of Olaudah Equiano aka Gustavus Vassa. Near this place which was pa...

91³Ô¹ÏÍø

Olaudah Equiano - Riding House Street

Olaudah Equiano (1745 - 1797), 'The African', lived and published here in 178...

91³Ô¹ÏÍø

Olaudah Equiano - SE14

Londonist informs: "It stands on a ceramic plinth with three sides, which sym...

91³Ô¹ÏÍø

Olaudah Equiano - Tottenham Street

Olaudah Equiano, "The African" (1745 - 1797) abolitionist, lived at this addr...

91³Ô¹ÏÍø

Show all 6

Other Subjects

Khalil Gibran

Khalil Gibran

Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer. Born in what is now Lebanon, emigrated as a young man with his family to US. Best known for The Prophet, 1923, popular in the 60s.

Person, Art, Literature, Poetry, Lebanon, USA

1 memorial
Fanny Kemble

Fanny Kemble

Actress. Born Newman Street. 1830 a witness at the death of Huskisson. 1832 travelled to America with her father and wrote about her experiences there. Married an American who inherited a fortune i...

Person, Literature, Race Issues, Theatre, USA

1 memorial
John le Carré

John le Carré

Pen name of espionage novel writer, David John Moore Cornwell. Born in Poole, Dorset. He took up writing when he was working for MI5 and MI6 in the 1950s and 60s. Best known for the novels 'The Spy...

Person, Literature

1 memorial
Sir Thomas More

Sir Thomas More

Born Milk Street. In conflict with Henry VIII over religion he was imprisoned in the tower, found guilty of treason and beheaded on Tower Hill. Final words: "The King's good servant, but God's Firs...

Person, Execution, Literature, Politics & Administration, Seriously Famous

17 memorials
John Bunyan

John Bunyan

Born Elstow, Bedfordshire. A tinker by trade he became a travelling preacher. Unlicensed he was imprisoned 1660-1672. Wrote The Pilgrim's Progress. Died of a fever at Snow Hill, Holborn and is buri...

Person, Literature, Religion, Seriously Famous

2 memorials