Renée Lefebvre
DARE Project: Equiano’s World: The Abolition of the Slave Trade through Digital Humanities
Program(s) of Study: Human Rights & Equity Studies
Project Supervisor: Paul Lovejoy
I’ve learned that it’s my responsibility as a digital historian to put those figures who have been long forgotten back into public memory. There are many who fought for the abolition of the slave trade however we have little to no record of them online. This research project brings those individuals one step closer to being recognized.
Project Description:
This project on Gustavus Vassa (Olaudah Equiano) focuses on the movement to abolish the trans-Atlantic slave trade and ultimately to emancipate the Africans and their descendants who had been enslaved. The subject of the project is the life story of Olaudah Equiano, the enslaved Igbo boy who was later known by the name given to him as a slave, Gustavus Vassa. He identified himself as African, sometimes as Ethiopian and ethnically as "Egbo," that is Igbo. The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African, as Published by Himself first appeared in March 1789. The contribution of this political activist and spokesperson for enslaved Africans is highlighted in hundreds of articles and books devoted to an interpretation of his impact. This research project intends to provide an overview of the literature on the subject of abolition, analyse key themes on the life and context of Vassa, and translate the formal written scholarship to online content available to the general public through the website, Equiano's World.The Dean’s Award for Research Excellence (DARE) - Undergraduate enables our students to meaningfully engage in research projects supervised by LA&PS faculty members. Find out more about DARE.