Important Images of Black Leaders Who Were Sent Into Slavery - 1750

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/10/2013

A complete and authentic issue of the Gentleman’s Magazine, June 1750, 48pp., disbound, near fine. From the interior are two important portrait engravings on the same page. These formal portraits are of black African princes who were taken into slavery. The first is “Job, son of Solliman D Giallo, High Priest of Bonda in the Country of Foota, Africa.” The second, “William Ansah Sessarakoo, Son of John Bannister Corrantee Ohinee of Anamboe.” There is related text on the facing page. In part, “Job Ben Solomon ... In the year 1731, as he was driving his herds of cattle across the countries in Jagra, he was seized and carried to, Joar, where he was sold to Capt. Pyke, commander of the ship Arabella, who carried him to Maryland, and sold him to a planter....”William Ansah Sessarakoo was the son of a wealthy African trader. His father, known as "John Corrente", was a trader in gold and slaves: he decided to send his son and a companion to Europe to learn European ways of business, to improve his trading prospects. The European captain engaged to transport Sessarakoo took him to Bridgetown in Barbados, where he sold him into slavery. The captain died soon afterwards, but Sessarakoo's father discovered the treachery, and refused to deal with English traders until his son was released. To avoid diplomatic problems, the Royal African Company arranged for local merchants to pay for Sessarakoo to be freed.

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