January, 2002

Ibrahima
by Debbie

This is my essay on Ibrahima, an African slave, or was. Well, I'm going to tell you about how he was a slave. My first topic is on how he and some people were captured. Next how they were treated in America, and I'm going to tell you about the person who bought Ibrahima. Well, Ibrahima and his tribe were in a battle with the outlaws. They were fighting and fighting and when the Fula peopole were sure they won the battle out comes the outlaws attacking them again. Most of the army was dead, but the other half were held as captive. They were tied up with each other. They were stripped naked. If any of them fell they were to be killed. They had been walking for quite a long time so they were all tired. Then they walked until they saw boats with white on them. That's when they were sold to whites.

Slaves were treated really bad in America. When they first came they were stripped naked. They were put on like a stage to be sold to the whites. The whites touched their limbs and looked at their teeth. They touched the limbs because they wanted to see if they were strong enough to do the work that they wouanted them to do. They also looked at their teeth because to see if they were healthy. Africans were treated like dogs. They were whipped if they didn't do what the owner wanted them to. They had to work and do everything they were told to do Whites were so mean that they said Africans would never be freed.

This paragraph is on the person who bought him. The person that bought Ibrahima was named Mr. Foster. He bought Ibrahima and another guy for about 930 dollars. When they got to Foster's house Ibrahima tried to explain that he was royal where he lived, but Foster didn't understand. Instead of calling Ibrahima 'Ibrahima,' they called him Prince. Later on Foster bought a female African and Ibrahima got married to her. They had kids. Later on Mr. Foster got rich from his tobacco selling. Well, Ibrahima was out in the town and saw an old man who looked really familiar. Then he realized it was Mr. Cox. After Ibrahima explained to Mr. Cox that he was a slave, Mr. Cox decided to go and talk to Foster to tell him that Ibrahima was royal in the place he lived. Mr. Cox asked if he would let him go and let him go back to Africa. Mr. Foster said no because he thought Ibrahima was still his property. Later on Ibrahima decided to send letters and to see if he could go back to Africa. Fianlly after a while they decided to let Ibrahima go and to free all blacks.

Well, that is my essay. Did you learn a lot abou how Ibrahima was capture, how slaves were treated in America, and about the person who bought Ibrahima. Well, I hope you did learn a lot.

Ibrahima page
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Background image of 'Into Bondage' by Aaron Douglas 1936