Jennifer Lofkrantz and Olatunji Ojo, "Slavery, Freedom and Failed Ransoming Negotiations in West Africa 1680-1900", TUBMAN SEMINAR SERIES

The Tubman Seminar Series invites interested students and scholars to attend a seminar by Dr. Jennifer Lofkrantz and Dr. Olatunji Ojo of St. Thomas University and Brock University concerning ideas of slavery and means of freedom through the complex process of ransoming.

Dr. Lofkrantz and Dr. Ojo will be speaking at 280A York Lanes on Tuesday, March 29th between 12:00 noon and 1:30pm. We welcome participants to come and learn more about how ransoming acted as a means for those who were enslaved to potentially negotiate their freedom. The following is an abstract of their talk:

In 1731 Ayuba ben Suleiman (Job ben Solomon) of Bundu on the Gambia River was captured and sold to the American slaver Captain Pike. Ben Suleiman contacted his father to arrange his ransom but before negotiations could be completed, he had been shipped to the Americas.  His family’s plan was to secure his freedom by substituting other captives. This case has been cited by numerous scholars as an example of African attempts at mitigating enslavement. Ransoming provided an outlet to free from captivity those who according to local laws and customs should not have been enslaved and also provided the opportunity for those individuals whose status allowed their family and friends the means to obtain the release of captured relatives, to do so. What is unknown was ben Suleiman’s father’s reaction to the failed attempt to restoring his son’s freedom in the initial year before his son was found in Maryland. In particular, since the buyer, Captain Pike, had been a commercial partner to the family. Did he forgive Captain Pike or what measures did he take in retribution? Through the examination of other failed ransom cases, evidence from other parts of West Africa show that numerous responses were possible.

To see our full programme of speakers, check the Tubman Seminar Series page.