Originally Captured In An illegal Slave Trade but Later Helped Start A Black Community That Still Exists To This Day
Kossola Cudjo Lewis (1841-1935) born in the West African country of Benin as Oluale Kossola. He was best known as Cudjo Lewis or Cudjoe Kazoola Lewis and was one of the last survivors brought to the US on the illegal Atlantic slave trade between Africa and the United States on the Clotilda ship in 1860. The Clotilda was the last US known slave ship and even though slavery was legal at that time in the U.S., the international slave trade was not, and hadn’t been for 52 years.
A Prisoner of War
At the age of fourteen, Cudjo began his training as a soldier and was inducted into oro, the Yoruba secret male society; by age nineteen, Cudjo was undergoing initiation. His initiation training was cut short, however, in the spring of 1860 when soldiers from Dahomey raided Cudjo’s town, killing townspeople and taking prisoners. Though he attempted escape, Cudjo was among the captured to be marched to Ouidah, a port city on the Atlantic coast of Benin, and imprisoned in a slave compound. He was sold to William Foster, captain of the Clotilda, a schooner built by Foster in Mobile, Alabama and later converted into a ship capable of illegally transporting Africans as slave cargo into the United States.
The Creation of Africa Town
After five years of overworking on a steamboat in poor conditions Cudjo was freed. In 1872, after failing to receive reparations, Cudjo and the Mobile Africans pooled their resources and purchased land from wealthy whites to form a settlement, which they named Africa Town; known today as Africantown. Cudjo resided in Africa Town for the remainder of his life. He became a citizen of the United States in 1868.
In 1927, Author Zora Neale Hurston interviewed and filmed Cudjo; he is the only known African deported through the slave trade whose moving image exists. Cudjo attained more recognition after being interviewed by many other writers and journalists.
After five years of overworking on a steamboat in poor conditions Cudjo was freed. In 1872, after failing to receive reparations, Cudjo and the Mobile Africans pooled their resources and purchased land from wealthy whites to form a settlement, which they named Africa Town; known today as Africantown. Cudjo resided in Africa Town for the remainder of his life. He became a citizen of the United States in 1868.
In 1927, Author Zora Neale Hurston interviewed and filmed Cudjo; he is the only known African deported through the slave trade whose moving image exists. Cudjo attained more recognition after being interviewed by many other writers and journalists.
In 2018 the book written by Zora Neale Hurston about Cudjo: Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" was finally published and is available at book stores everywhere.
Sources: BlackPast; EncyclopediaofAlabama; TheRavenReport
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