Thursday, September 08, 2005

"Definitive" Middle Passage account may not be.

Here's a fascinating bit of scholarly news with major implications for African American studies. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself may be a fabrication. This is news because it has been relied upon as the definitive first-person account of the journey through the Middle Passage. The discovery was made by Vincent Carretta, an English professor. His biography of Equiano is just out from the University of Georgia.

Today at 1:00 there will be a live chat with Professor Carretta. Since his claim is not being met with 100 percent acceptance, I expect it'll be interesting.

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