Page 50 - BLACK HISTORY IN BERMUDA red

Teacher Resources/Activities

These activities are designed to be completed during the field
trips or in advance of a visit.
>Partner Skits

Partner Skit: Meet Olaudah Equiano

Equiano: Hi, Olaudah Equiano. Have you heard of me?

Student: Yes I have! You wrote a book, and you were one of the first black people
to do so!

Equiano: That’s right. I wrote a book called The Interesting Narrative of the Life of
Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Bit of a long (and pomp-
ous) title, but it became very popular.

Student: So what was your book about?

Equiano: My book was the story of how I went from being a slave to being a free-
man. You see, I spent 11 years as a slave, but once I got an income it only
took me three years to buy my freedom. I travelled the world. I even went
to the Arctic! I also joined the abolitionist movement.

Student: What’s that?

Equiano: It was the movement that wanted to abolish slavery, hence the name.

Student: What did you do once you were free?

Equiano: Other than writing my book? I travelled the world some more to promote
my book, which actually helped the abolitionist cause. I also became a
rich man and married the woman of my dreams, Susanna Cullen, and we
had two beautiful daughters.

Student: It was nice to meet you. Your story was very inspiring, especially for
people who were still slaves; and you helped abolish slavery, which hap-
pened 68 years after your death. It seems like a long time but without
you it might have been longer!

50 | black history in bermuda | bermuda national trust