January, 2002

Ibrahima's Life
by Jolene

Ibrahima was a very brave man. He was a man that was captured and sent to the U. S. I'm going to tell you about his life growing up, how he was captured, and how he was set free.

Ibrahima belonged to the Fula tribe in Africa. He was the prince and some day he would become the king. When he was 12 years of age he was sent to Timbuktu. Timbuktu had the best schooling around. A few years later he came back. He married and had many children. One day a white man came injured to him. The chief brought him in and helped him.

After the chief died Ibrahima became the chief. One day him and some of the men from the tribe were fighting another tribe. When they retreated they went after them. Then Ibrahima knew it was a trap. They started firing guns and shooting bows and arrows. People were screaming in pain. Then Ibrahima was hit in the back of the head with something. When he work up he was on a ship. Him and a bunch of other men were on board. People were dying and they all were really sick. They all were tied to one another and stuck in a room people were throwing up. When they got to the U. S. they were bandaging them up to make them look healthy. Ibrahima was sold with another man for $930.

Ibrahima and the other man were set to work right away. If they weren't fast enough they would be whipped. Ibrahima didn't know where to go to get home but he ran away anyway. He stayed out in the woods but he came back because he was very sick but even though he was sick he was sent to work again. One day he was out in town and he was an older man who looked very familiar. It was Mr. Cox. Ibrahima told him what happened and Mr. Cox tried to help him. He told his owner Foster that he was royal and pleaded to let him go. But he said no. Then Ibrahima sent a letter to Morocco which was a country where they didn't know him. He told them about how they treated him and what was going on. That country wrote and wrote to Foster and finally he set him free. They took him to a country called Liberia. He did not find his way back home. In July 1829 Ibrahima died.

I have told you about Ibrahima, his life growing up, how he was captured, and how he was set free. I hope you enjoyed my story.

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