AbdalRahmanIbrahima

fromNOWISYOURTIME!
byWalterDeanMyers
...TheAfricanscamefrommanycountries,andfrommanycultures.
LiketheNativeAmericans,theyestablishedtheirterritoriesbasedon
centuriesoftradition.Most,butnotall,oftheAfricanswhowere
broughttothecoloniescamefromcentralandWestAfrica.Among
themwasamannamedAbdalRahmanIbrahima.
TheEuropeaninvaders,alongwiththoseAfricanswhocooperatedwiththem,had
madethetimesdangerous.Africannationsthathadlivedpeacefullytogetherforcenturiesnow
eyedeachotherwarily.Slightinsultsledtomajorbattles.Bandsofoutlawsroamedthe
countrysideattackingthesmallvillages,kidnappingthoseunfortunateenoughtohavewandered
fromtheprotectionoftheirpeople.Thestoriesthatcamefromthecoastwerefrightening.
Thosekidnappedweretakentotheseaandsoldtowhites,putonboats,andtakenacrossthesea.
Nooneknewwhathappenedthen.
AbdalRahmanIbrahimawasbornin1762inFoutaDjallon,adistrictofthepresent
countryofGuinea.1[1] Itisabeautifullandofgreenmountainsrisingmajesticallyfromgrassy
plains,alandrichwithminerals,especiallybauxite.
IbrahimawasamemberofthepowerfulandinfluentialFulapeopleandasonofoneof
theirchieftains.ThereligionofIslamhadsweptacrossAfricacenturiesbefore,andtheyoung
IbrahimawasraisedinthetraditionoftheMoslems.2[2]
TheFulaweretallerandlighterincomplexionthattheotherinhabitantsofAfricaswest
coasttheyhadsilkyhair,whichtheyoftenworelong.Apastoral3[3] people,theFulahada
complexsystemofgovernment,withthestatedividedintonineprovincesandeachprovince
dividedagainintosmallerdistricts.Eachprovincehaditschiefanditssubchiefs.
Asthesonofachief,Ibrahimawasexpectedtoassumearoleofpoliticalleadership
whenhecameofage.Hewouldalsobeexpectedtosetamoralexampleandtobewellversed
inhisreligion.WhenhereachedtwelvehewassenttoTimbuktu4[4] tostudy.
UndertheSonghai5[5] dynasty leaderAskiatheGreat,Timbuktuhadbecomeacenterof
learningandoneofthelargestcitiesintheSonghaiEmpire.TheyoungIbrahimaknewhewas
privilegedtoattendthebestknownschool inWestAfrica.Largeandsophisticated,withwide,
treelinedstreets,thecityattractedscholarsfromAfrica,Europe,andAsia.Islamiclaw,
medicine,andmathematicsweretaughttotheyoungmendestinedtobecometheleadersoftheir
1[1]

FoutaDjallon...Guinea:FoutaDjallonis asmall,mountainousregionofGuinea,asmallnationonthewest
coastofAfrica.
2[2]
Islam...Moslems:referstotheMoslemmerchantswhotraveledthegoldsaltroutesofwealthyWestAfrican
empiresandintroducedIslamtotheregion.(AMoslemisabelieverinthereligionofIslam).
3[3]
pastoral:havingawayoflifebasedonraisinglivestock.
4[4]
Timbuktu:nowknownasTombouctou,acityinthepartofAfricanowknownasMali.
5[5]
Songhai:aWestAfricanempirethatthrivedinthe1400sand 1500s.

nations.Itwasagoodplaceforayoungmantobe.Thecitywaswellguarded,too.Ithadto
be,topreventthechaosthat,moreandmore,dominatedAfricanlifenearerthecoast.
IbrahimalearnedfirsttorecitefromtheKoran,theMoslemholybook,andthentoreadit
inArabic.FromtheKoran,itwasfelt,cameallotherknowledge.AfterIbrahimahadfinished
hisstudiesinTimbuktu,hereturnedtoFoutaDjallontocontinuetopreparehimselftobeachief.
TheFulahadlittlecontactwithwhites,andwhatlittlecontacttheydidhavewasfilled
withdanger.Sowhen,in1781,awhitemanclamingtobeashipssurgeonstumbledintooneof
theirvillages,theyweregreatlysurprised.
JohnCoatesCoxhardlyappearedtobeathreat.Aslightman,blindinoneeye,hadbeen
lostfordaysintheforestedregionsborderingthemountains.Hehadinjuredhisleg,andithad
becomebadlyinfectedashetriedtofindhelp.BythetimehewasfoundandbroughttotheFula
chiefs,hewasmoredeadthanalive.
Dr.Cox,anIrishman,toldofbeingseparatedfromahuntingpartythathadleftfroma
shiponwhichhehadsailedasshipssurgeon.TheFulachiefdecidedthathewouldhelpCox.
Hewastakeninahut,andahealerwasassignedthetaskofcuringhisinfectedleg.
DuringthemonthsDr.CoxstayedwiththeFula,hemetIbrahima,nowatall,brown
skinnedyouthwhohadreachedmanhood.Hisbearingreflectedhisstatusasthesonofamajor
chief.Dr.CoxhadlearnedsomeFulani,theFulalanguage,andthetwomenspoke.Ibrahima
wasdoubtlesscuriousaboutthewhitemansworld,andDr.CoxwasasimpressedbyIbrahimas
educationashehadbeenbythekindnessofhispeople.
WhenDr.Coxwaswellenoughtoleave,hewasprovidedwithaguardbutbeforehe
left,hewarnedtheFulaaboutthedangerofventuringtooneartheshipsthatdockedoffthecoast
ofGuinea.Thewhitedoctorknewthattheshipsweretheretotakecaptives.
CoxandIbrahimaembracedfondlyandsaidtheirgoodbyes,thinkingtheywouldnever
meetagain.
Ibrahimamarriedandbecamethefatherofseveralchildren.Hewasinhismidtwenties
whenhefoundhimselfleadingtheFulacavalryintheirwarwiththeMandingo.6[6]
Thefirstbattleswentwell,withtheenemyretreatingbeforetheadvancingFula.The
footwarriorsattackedfirst,breakingtheenemysranksandmakingthemeasypreyforthewell
trainedFulacavalry.Withtheenemyinfullrout7[7] theinfantryreturnedtotheirtownswhilethe
horsemen,ledbyIbrahima,chasedtheremainingstragglers.TheFulafoughttheirenemieswith
spears,bows,slings,swords,andcourage.
Thepathofpursuitledalongapaththatnarrowedsharplyastheforeststhickened.The
fleeingwarriorsdisappearedintotheforestthatcoveredasharplyrisingmountain.Thinkingthe
enemyhadgoneforgood,Ibrahimafeltitwouldbeuselesstochasethemfurther.
Wecouldnotseethem,hewouldwritelater.
Butagainsthisbetterjudgment,hedecidedtolookforthem.Thehorsemendismounted
atthefootofahillandbeganthesteepclimbonfoot.HalfwayupthehilltheFularealizedthey
hadbeenluredintoatrap!Ibrahimaheardtheriflesfiring,sawthesmokefromthepowderand
themenabouthimfallingtotheground,screaminginagony.Somediedinstantly.Many
horses,hitbythegunfire,thrashedaboutinpainandpanic.Thefiringwascomingfromboth
sides,andIbrahimaorderedhismentothetopofthehill,wheretheycould,iftimeandAllah
permittedit,tryachargeusingthespeedandmomentumoftheirremaininghorses.
6[6]
7[7]

Mandingo:amemberofanyofvariouspeoplesofWestAfrica.
infullrout:incompleteretreat.

Ibrahimawasamongthefirsttomount,andurgedhisanimalonward.Theenemy
warriorscameoutoftheforests,somewithbowsandarrows,otherswithmusketsthatheknew
theyhadobtainedfromtheEuropeans.ThecourageoftheFulacouldnotmatchthefuryofthe
guns.Ibrahimacalledouttohismentosavethemselves,tofleeastheycould.Manytriedto
escape,rushingmadlypasttheguns.Fewsurvived.
Thosewhodidclusteredabouttheiryoungleader,determinedtomakeonelast,desperate
stand.Ibrahimawashitinthebackbyanarrow,buttheaimwasnottrueandthearrowmerely
cuthisbroadshoulder.Thensomethingsmashedagainsthisheadfromtherear.
ThenextthingIbrahimaknewwasthathewaschoking.Thenhefelthimselfbeinglifted
fromthewater.Hetriedtomovehisarms,buttheyhadbeenfastenedsecurelybehindhisback.
Hehadbeencaptured.
Whenhecametohisfullsenses,helookedaroundhim.Thoseofhisnoblecavalrywho
hadnotbeencapturedwerealreadydead.Ibrahimawasunsteadyonhislegsashisclothesand
sandalswerestrippedfromhim.ThevictoriousMandingowarriorsnowpushedhimroughly
intofilewithhismen.Theybeganthelongtrek thatwouldleadthemtothesea.
InFoutaDjallonbeingcapturedbytheenemymeantbeingforcedtodosomeoneelses
bidding,8[8] sometimesforyears.Ifyoucouldgetamessagetoyourpeople,youcouldperhaps,
buyyourfreedom.Otherwise,itwasonlyifyouwerewellliked,orifyoumarriedoneofyour
captorswomen,thatyouwouldbeallowedtogofreeortolivelikeafreeperson.
Ibrahimasensedthatthingswouldnotgowellforhim.
Thejourneytotheseatookweeks.Ibrahimawastiedtoothermen,withropesaround
theirnecks.Eachdaytheywalkedfromdawntodusk.Thosewhowereslowwereknocked
brutallytotheground.Someofthosewhocouldnolongerwalkwerespearedandlefttodiein
agony.Itwastheluckyoneswhowerekilledoutrightiftheyfell.
Whentheyreachedthesea,theyremainedboundhandandfoot.Thereweremenand
womentiedtogether.Smallchildrenclungtotheirmothersastheywaitedfortheboatstocome
andthebargainingtobegin.
Ibrahima,listeningtotheconversationsofthemenwhoheldhimcaptive,couldunderstandthose
whospokeArabic.TheseAfricanswerealowclassofmen,madepowerfulbythegunsthey
hadbeengiven,madeevilbythewhitemansgoods.Butitdidntmatterwhowasevilandwho
wasgood. Itonlymatteredwhoheldthegun.
Ibrahimawasinspectedontheshore,thenputintoironsandherdedintoasmallboatthat
tookhimouttoashipthatwaslargerthananyhehadeverseen.
TheshipontowhichIbrahimawastakenwasalreadycrowdedwithblackcaptives.Some
shookinfearothers,stilltied,foughtbyhurlingtheirbodiesattheircaptors.Thebeatingand
thekillingcontinueduntiltheoneswhowereleftknewthattheirlotwashopeless.Onboardthe
shipthereweremorewhiteswithguns,whoshovedthemtowardtheopenhatch.Someofthe
Africanshesitatedatthehatch,andwereclubbeddownandpushedbelowdecks.
Itwasdarkbeneaththedeck,anddifficulttobreathe.Bodieswerepressedcloseagainst
otherbodies.Inthesectionoftheshiphewasin,menprayedtovariousgodsinvarious
languages.Itseemedthatthewhiteswouldneverstoppushingmenintothealreadycrowded
space.TwosailorspushedtheAfricansintopositionsothateachwouldlieinthesmallestspace
8[8]

dosomeoneelsesbidding: followanothersorders.

possible.Thesailorspantedandsweatedastheyuntiedmenandthenchainedthemtoarailing
thatranthelengthoftheship.
Theshiprolledagainstitsmooringastheanchorwaslifted,andthejourneybegan.The
boardsoftheshipcreakedandmoanedasitliftedandfellinthesea.Someofthemengotsick,
vomitinguponthemselvesinthewretcheddarkness.Theylaycramped,musclesaching,irons
cuttingintotheirlegsandwrists,gaspingforair.
Onceadaytheywouldbebroughtoutondeckandmadetojumpforexercise.They
wereeachgivenahandfulofeitherbeansorricecookedwithyams,andwaterfromacask.The
whitesailorslookedhardlybetterthantheAfricans,butitwastheywhoheldtheguns.
Illnessandthestiflingconditionsontheshipscausedmanydeaths.Howmanydepended
largelyonhowfasttheshipscouldbeloadedwithAfricansandhowlongthevoyagefrom
Africatook.Itwasnotunusualfor10percentoftheAfricanstodieifthetriptooklongerthan
theusualtwentyfivetothirtyfivedays.
Ibrahima,nowtwentysixyearsold,reachedMississippiin1788.Astheshipapproached
land,theAfricanswerebroughtontothedeckandfed.Somehadoilputontheirskinsothey
wouldlookbettertheirsoresweretreatedorcoveredwithpitch.Thentheyweregiven
garmentstowearinanobviousefforttoimprovetheirappearance.
AlthoughIbrahimacouldnotspeakEnglish,heunderstoodhewasbeingbargainedfor.
Thewhitemanwhostoodontheplatformwithhimmadehimturnaround,andseveralother
whitemennearedhim,touchedhislimbs,examinedhisteeth,lookedintohiseyes,andmade
himmoveabout.
ThomasFoster,atobaccogrowerandahardworkingman,hadcomefromSouth
Carolinawithhisfamilyandhadsettledontherichlandsthattooktheirmineralsfromthe
MississippiRiver.Healreadyheldonecaptive,ayoungboy.InAugust1788heboughttwo
more.OneofthemwasnamedSambo,whichmeanssecondson.TheotherwasIbrahima.
Fosteragreedtopay$930forthetwoAfricans.Hepaid$150downandsignedan
agreementtopayanother$250thefollowingJanuaryandtheremaining$530inJanuaryofthe
followingyear.
WhenIbrahimaarrivedatFostersfarm,hetriedtofindsomeonewhocouldexplainto
thewhitemanwhohewasthesonofachief.Hewantedtoofferaransomforhisownrelease,
butFosterwasntinterested.Heunderstood,perhapsfromtheboywhomhehadpurchased
previously,thatthisnewAfricanwasclaimingtobeanimportantperson.Fosterhadprobably
neverheardoftheFulaortheirculturehehadpaidgoodmoneyfortheAfrican,andwasnt
abouttogivehimup.FostergaveIbrahimaanewname:HecalledhimPrince.
ForIbrahimatherewasconfusionandpain.Whatwashetodo?Afewmonthsbefore,
hehadbeenalearnedmanandaleaderamonghispeople.Nowhewasacaptiveinastrange
landwhereheneitherspokethelanguagenorunderstoodthecustoms.Washenevertoseehis
familyagain?Werehissonsforeverlosttohim?
AsaFula,IbrahimaworehishairlongFosterinsistedthatitbecut.Ibrahimasclothing
hadbeentakenfromhim,andhissandals.Nowthelastremainingsymbolofhispeople,hislong
hair,hadbeentakenaswell.
Hewastoldtoworkinthefields.Herefused,andhewastiedandwhipped.Thestingof
thewhipacrosshisnakedfleshwasterriblypainful,butitwasnothinglikethepainhefelt
within.Thewhippingsforcedhimtowork.

ForIbrahimathiswasnotlife,butamockeryoflife.Therewasthewakinginthe
morningandthesleepingatnightheworked,heate,butthiswasnotlife.Whatwasmore,he
couldnotseeanendtoit.Itwasthisfeelingthatmadehimattempttoescape.
IbrahimaescapedtothebackwoodsregionsofNatchez.9[9] Hehidthere,eatingwild
berriesandfruit,notdaringtoshowhisfacetoanyman,whiteorblack.Therewasnotelling
whocouldbetrusted.Sometimeshesawmenwithdogsandknewtheyweresearchingfor
runaways,perhapshim.
Wherewashetorun?Whatwashetodo?Hedidntknowthecountry,hedidntknow
howfaritwasfromFoutaDjallonorhowtogetbacktohishomeland.Hecouldtellthatthis
placewasruledbywhitemenwhoheldhimincaptivity.Theotherblackshehadseenwere
fromallpartsofAfrica.Someherecognizedbytheirtribalmarkings,somehedidnot.None
wereallowedtospeaktheirnativetonguesaroundthewhitemen.Somealreadyknewnothing
ofthelanguageoftheirpeople.
Astimepassed,Ibrahimasdespairdeepened.Hischoicesweresimple.Hecouldstayin
thewoodsandprobablydie,orhecouldsubmithisbodybackintobondage. Thereisnoplacein
Islamiclawforamantotakehislife.IbrahimareturnedtoThomasFoster.
FosterstillowedmoneytothemanfromwhomhehadpurchasedIbrahima.Thedebt
wouldremainwhetherhestillpossessedtheAfricanornot.Fosterwasundoubtedlygladtosee
thattheAfricanhadreturned.Thin,nearlystarving,Ibrahimawasputtowork.
IbrahimasubmittedhimselftothewillofThomasFoster.Hewasacaptive,heldin
bondagenotonlybyFosterbutbythesocietyinwhichhefoundhimself.Ibrahimamaintained
hisbeliefsinthereligionofIslamandkeptitsritualsasbesthecould.He
wasdeterminedtobethesamepersonhehadalwaysbeen:AbdalRahmanIbrahimaofFouta
DjallonandoftheproudFulapeople.
By1807theareahadbecometheMississippiTerritory.Ibrahimawasfortyfiveandhad
beeninbondagefortwentyyears.DuringthoseyearshemetandmarriedawomanwhomFoster
hadpurchased,andtheybegantoraiseafamily.FoutaDjallonwasmoreandmoredistant,and
hehadbecomeresignedtotheideathathewouldneverseeitorhisfamilyagain.
ThomasFosterhadgrownwealthy andhadbecomeanimportantmanintheterritory.At
fortyfiveIbrahimawasconsideredold.HewaslessusefultoFoster,whonowletthetall
Africangrowafewvegetablesonasideplotandsellthemintown,sincetherewasnowherein
theterritorythattheblackmancouldgowherehewouldnotbecapturedbysomeotherwhite
manandreturned.
ItwasduringoneofthesevisitstotownthatIbrahimasawawhitemanwholooked
familiar.Thesmallishmanwalkedslowlyandwithalimp.Ibrahimacautiouslyapproachedthe
manandspoketohim.ThemanlookedcloselyatIbrahima,thenspokehisname.ItwasDr.
Cox.
Thetwomenshookhands,andDr.Cox,whonowlivedintheterritory,tookIbrahimato
hishome.JohnCoxhadnotprospered overtheyears,buthewasstillhopeful.Helistened
carefullyasIbrahimatoldhisstorythebattlenearFoutaDjallon,thedefeat,thelongjourney
acrosstheAtlanticOcean,andfinally,hissaletoThomasFosterandtheyearsoflabor.
Dr.CoxandIbrahimawenttotheFosterplantation.MeetingwithFoster,heexplained
howhehadmetthetallblackman.Surely,hereasoned,knowingthatIbrahimawasofroyal
blood,Fosterwouldfreehim?Theanswerwasafirm,butpolite,no.Noamountofpleading
9[9]

Natchez: anearlysettlementinwhatisnowthestateofMississippi

wouldmakeFosterchangehismind.ItdidntmatterthatDr.CoxhadsupportedwhatIbrahima
hadtoldFostersomanyyearsbefore,thathewasaprince.ToFosterthemanwasmerelyhis
property.
Dr.Coxhadtoleavethemanwhosepeoplehadsavedhislife,buthetoldIbrahimathat
hewouldneverstopworkingforhisfreedom.
AndrewMarschalk,thesonofaDutchbaker,wasaprinter,apioneerinhisfield,anda
manofgreatcuriosity.BythetimeMarschalkheardaboutit,Coxhadtoldagreatmanypeople
intheNatchezdistrictthestoryoftheAfricanroyaltybeingheldinslaveryinAmerica.
Marschalkwasfascinated.HesuggestedthatIbrahimawritealettertohispeople,tellingthem
ofhiswhereaboutsandaskingthemtoransomhim.ButIbrahimahadnotbeentohishomeland
intwentyyears.Thepeopletherewerestillbeingcapturedbyslavetraders.Hewouldhaveto
sendamessengerwhoknewthecountryside,andwhoknewtheFula.Wherewouldhefindsuch
aman?
ForalongtimeIbrahimadidnothing.Finally,sometimeafterthedeathofDr.Coxin
1816,IbrahimawrotetheletterthatMarschalksuggested.Hehadlittlefaithintheprocedurebut
felthehadnothingtolose.MarschalkwassurprisedwhenIbrahimaappearedwiththeletter
writtenneatlyinArabic.SinceoneplaceinAfricawasthesameasthenexttoMarschalk,he
senttheletternottoFoutaDjallonbuttoMorocco.
ThegovernmentofMoroccodidnotknowIbrahimabutunderstoodfromhisletterthathe
wasaMoslem.Moroccanofficials,inalettertoPresidentJamesMonroe,pleadedforthe
releaseofIbrahima.TheletterreachedHenryClay,theAmericansecretaryofstate.

TheUnitedStateshadrecentlyendedabitterwarwithTripoliinNorthAfricaand
welcomedtheideaofestablishinggoodrelationswithMorocco,anotherNorthAfricancountry.
ClaywrotetoFosteraboutIbrahima.
FosterresentedtheideaofreleasingIbrahima.Theveryideathatthegovernmentof
MoroccohadwrittentoClayanddiscussedareligionthatIbrahimasharedwithotherAfricans
gaveIbrahimaapastthatFosterhadlongdenied,apastashonorableasFosters.Thisidea
challengedabasicpremiseofslaveryapremisethatFostermusthavebelievedwithout
reservation:thattheAfricanshadbeen nothingbutsavages,withnohumanityorhuman
feelings,andthereforeitwasallrighttoenslavethem.Butaftermorelettersandpressurefrom
theStateDepartment,FosteragreedtoreleaseIbrahimaifhecouldbeassuredthatIbrahima
wouldleavethecountryandreturntoFoutaDjallon.
ManypeoplewhobelievedthatslaverywaswrongalsobelievedthatAfricanscouldnot
liveamongwhiteAmericans.TheAmericanColonizationSocietyhadbeenformedexpresslyto
sendfreedAfricansbacktoAfrica.Thesocietyboughtland,andacolonycalledLiberiawas
establishedonthewestcoastofAfrica.FosterwasassuredthatIbrahimawouldbesentthere.
BythenIbrahimascausehadbeentakenupbyanumberofabolitionist10[10] groupsin
theNorthaswellasbymanyfreeAfricans.Theyraisedmoneytobuyhiswifesfreedomas
well.
OnFebruary7,1829,IbrahimaandhiswifesailedontheshipHarrietforAfrica.The
shipreachedLiberia,andIbrahimanowhadtofindawaytoreachhispeopleagain.Henever
foundthatway.AbdalRahmanIbrahimadiedinLiberiainJuly1829.
10[10]

abolitionist:favoringtheendofslavery.

WhowasIbrahima?HewasoneofmillionsofAfricanstakenbyforcefromtheirnative
lands.Hewasthesonofachief,awarrior,andascholar.ButtoIbrahimatheonlythingthat
matteredwasthathehadlosthisfreedom.IfhehadbeenaherderinFoutaDjallon,oranartist
inBenin,orafarmeralongtheGambia,itwouldhavebeenthesame.IbrahimawasanAfrican
wholovedfreedomnolessthanotherbeingsonearth.Andhewasdeniedthatfreedom.

WordstoKnow
inhabitantn. someonelivinginaparticularplace
dynastyn.aseriesofrulerswhoaremembersofthesamefamily
chaosn.astateofgreatdisorder
statusn.onespositioninsocietyrank
trek n.aslow,difficultjourney
bondagen.slavery
prosper v.tobesuccessfulthrive
proceduren.acourseofaction
premisen.anideathatformsthebasisofanargument
reservationn.adoubtanexception