Abdul Rahman Ibrahima Sori facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abdulrahman Ibrahima ibn Sori
|
|
|---|---|
Drawing of Abdul Rahman Ibrahima ibn Sori in the collection of the Library of Congress. The Arabic inscription reads "His name is Abd al-Rahman".
|
|
| Born | 1762 |
| Died | July 6, 1829 (aged 67) Monrovia, Liberia
|
| Known for | American slave |
| Office | Amir (military commander) |
| Spouse(s) |
Isabella
(m. 1794; death 1829) |
| Parent(s) |
|
Abdul Rahman Ibrahima ibn Sori (Arabic: عبد الرحمن ابراهيم سوري; 1762—July 6, 1829) was a prince and military commander from Fouta Djallon in Guinea, West Africa. He was captured and brought to the United States in 1788. There, he was forced into slavery.
His slave owner, Thomas Foster, learned about Abdul Rahman's royal background. From then on, he called him "Prince." Abdul Rahman was enslaved for 40 years. He finally gained his freedom in 1828. The next year, he returned to Africa. Sadly, he died in Liberia just a few months after arriving.
Contents
Early Life of Prince Abdul Rahman
Abdul Rahman Ibrahima was born in 1762 in Timbuktu. He was a Torodbe Fulani Muslim prince. His father was Ibrahima Sori, a powerful leader. When Abdul Rahman was five, his family moved to Timbo. This city is now in Guinea.
In 1776, his father, Ibrahima, united the different groups in Fouta Djallon. Timbo became the capital city. Abdul Rahman studied at schools in Djenné and Timbuktu. He learned to speak at least four African languages. These included Bambara, Fula, Mandinka, and Yalunka. He also spoke Arabic.
In 1781, he returned home and joined his father's army. He became a commander, leading soldiers in battles. In 1788, he led 2,000 cavalry troops. They fought against groups that bothered European ships. These ships were involved in trade. During one battle, his cavalry was ambushed. Abdul Rahman was shot, captured, and enslaved. At that time, he was married and had a son. His son later became a military commander in Timbo.
Life as an Enslaved Person
Abdul Rahman was taken to the Gambia River. There, he was sold to a slave ship called the Africa. He was then taken to Dominica and later to New Orleans. From there, he traveled upriver to Natchez, Mississippi. He and another enslaved person were sold to Thomas Foster for about $950.
Abdul Rahman worked for Foster for over 38 years. He tried to escape early on, but it didn't work. On Christmas Day, 1794, he married Isabella. She was also enslaved by Foster. Together, they had a large family of nine children. Isabella joined the Baptist Church. Abdul Rahman went to services with his family. However, he disagreed with parts of Christianity. He especially didn't like the idea of the Trinity. He also criticized how Christianity was practiced by slave owners.
Abdul Rahman was respected by other enslaved people. He was seen as loyal and trustworthy. He was good at managing cattle and supervising cotton farming. Because of this, he was allowed to go to a local market. He would sell vegetables there in Washington, Mississippi.
In 1807, something surprising happened at the market. He met an old friend, Dr. John Coates Cox. Back in the 1780s, Cox was a surgeon on an English ship. He got lost and hurt while ashore in West Africa. His ship left without him. Abdul Rahman's family rescued him and took him to Timbo. Cox stayed with them for six months. Then, he was helped to find a ship home.
Decades later, Cox and Abdul Rahman met by chance. They recognized each other at the Washington market. Cox offered to buy "Prince" from Foster for $1,000. He wanted Abdul Rahman to return to Africa. Cox even asked the governor of Mississippi for help. But Foster refused to sell. He believed Abdul Rahman was too important to his plantation. Cox continued trying to free Abdul Rahman until he died in 1816. Cox's son also tried to buy Abdul Rahman, but Foster still refused.
In 1826, Abdul Rahman wrote a letter in Arabic to his family. A local newspaper man, Andrew Marschalk, encouraged him. The letter was sent to the U.S. Consulate in Morocco. The consul shared it with Sultan Abderrahmane II. The Sultan asked U. S. President John Quincy Adams and Secretary of State Henry Clay for help. He offered to free some Americans held illegally in Morocco. In exchange, he wanted Abdul Rahman freed.
In 1828, Thomas Foster agreed to free Abdul Rahman without payment. He transferred Abdul Rahman to Marschalk and his wife. They officially freed him. The agreement was that Abdul Rahman would be sent to Africa by the government. Foster also allowed Marschalk to buy Isabella for a lower price of $200. This money was raised by people in Natchez.
Abdul Rahman and Isabella traveled to Baltimore. He met Henry Clay there. On May 15, he met President Adams. Abdul Rahman told the President he wanted his five sons and eight grandchildren freed too. He wrote a letter to his children in Mississippi about the meeting.
Returning to Africa
Before leaving the United States, Abdul Rahman and his wife traveled. They visited many northern cities for 10 months. They asked for donations to free their family in Natchez. He often wore traditional Moorish clothes. This helped him stand out from other enslaved Black Africans. He presented himself in ways that would appeal to different groups. He told merchants he would start new trade. He promised missionaries he would help spread their faith. He also pledged support for the American Colonization Society's colony in Liberia. A famous supporter was Rev. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, who helped deaf people.
This public work with abolitionists angered Foster and Marschalk. They felt it broke their agreement. Marschalk published articles attacking Abdul Rahman and President Adams.
Abdul Rahman and Isabella raised only $4,000. They needed about $10,000 to free their children and grandchildren. They left without their family from Norfolk, Virginia, on February 9, 1829. They sailed on the ship Harriet. The American Colonization Society paid for this trip to Liberia.
After arriving, he wrote to America. He urged for more funding to free his children. He also shared his plans to trade with his homeland. He planned to visit his home country. He wrote that he was "unwell, but much better." He had gained support by pretending to fully adopt Christianity. But he returned to practicing Islam as soon as he saw Africa.
Abdul Rahman died on July 6, 1829, at about 67 years old. He died within months of arriving in Liberia. Thirty other passengers from the Harriet also died. A yellow fever outbreak was happening in the area. He never saw Fouta Djallon or his children again.
Legacy
The money Abdul Rahman and Isabella raised only freed two of their sons and their families. These eight family members reunited with Isabella in Monrovia a year after Abdul Rahman's death. Thomas Foster died the same year as Abdul Rahman. Foster's property, including Abdul Rahman's enslaved children and grandchildren, was divided among his heirs.
In 2007, Andrea Kalin directed a film called Prince Among Slaves. The film tells Abdul Rahman's life story. It was based on a book by Terry Alford with the same name. Mos Def narrated the film, which was shown on PBS.
See also
- Islam in the United States
- List of slaves
- Slavery in the United States
