Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

African American

Showing Original Post only (View all)

Eugene

(62,756 posts)
Sun Jan 20, 2019, 05:49 PM Jan 2019

When few enslaved people in the United States could write, one man wrote his memoir in Arabic [View all]

Source: Washington Post

When few enslaved people in the United States could write, one man wrote his memoir in Arabic

The 1831 narrative by Omar ibn Said is the only known surviving slave account of its kind.

By Michael E. Ruane January 20 at 8:00 AM
As a slave, he was called “Morro” or “Uncle Moreau.”

A dignified man in his 60s, he was small in stature, unfit for hard work and had been enslaved for almost a quarter-century. He spoke limited English.

But his real name was Omar ibn Said. He had been a Muslim scholar in West Africa, where he was abducted in 1807. And in 1831, when few enslaved people in the United States could read or write, he wrote what is thought to be the only surviving slave narrative of its kind, in Arabic.

The Library of Congress announced last week that it had acquired the famous memoir, along with a trove of related documents, from a noted African American collector and posted them online.

-snip-


Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/01/20/when-few-enslaved-people-could-write-one-man-wrote-his-memoirs-arabic/

______________________________________________________________________

Related: Omar Ibn Said Collection (Library of Congress)
4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Latest Discussions»Alliance Forums»African American»When few enslaved people ...»Reply #0