He was captured as a war prisoner and became a slave in the united states for 40 years. This book recounts the true story of an african warriorprince who conquered. This book tells the littleknown story of abd alrahman ibrahima, a fulbe muslim of elite ancestry who was captured in an ambush, sold to english slavers, and enslaved in the united states in 1788. Abdulrahman ibn ibrahima sori 17621829 was a africanamerican nobleman and amir commander or governor who was captured in the fouta jallon. Abd alrahman ibrahima was the son of the almaami of timbo in africa. In 1821, abdul rahman was in marschalks printing office, when he saw a book of type. Abdul rahman sori endured over 40 years of enslavement before he was freed.
He was captured as a war prisoner and became a slave in the united states for. Black history month 30 books for 30 days mindworks publishing. He was abd al rahman ibrahima, and his story has been reconstructed with skill, style, and scrupulous research in mississippi, washington, london, paris, africa by a young whit historian. While ibrahima is not buried in natchez some of the people who helped gain his freedom are. With the support of the adams administration, marschalk procured the manumission of ibrahima and his wife isabella prior to the publication of gallaudets 1828 statement with regard to the moorish prince, abduhl rahhahman, which noted that his little flock as many as ten children and thirteen grandchildren at the time remained in bondage p. The foregoing copy of the lords prayer was written by prince abduhl rahhuman in arabic, at my request and in my presence on the 29th day of december 1828 in philadelphia, at which time and place he related to me in detail the. Abd alrahman ibrahima natchez, ms official website. Dec 10, 2018 this book tells the littleknown story of abd alrahman ibrahima, a fulbe muslim of elite ancestry who was captured in an ambush, sold to english slavers, and enslaved in the united states in 1788. He was the son of sori, the alimami or theocratic ruler of the fulbe plural for pullo whose capital was timbo, an inland center that traded with distant timbuktu where ibrahima had earlier received islamic training. Fearful of king soris revenge, the rebels sold ibrahima to slaves or native african slave traders. Gallaudet, one of the cofounders of the american school for the deaf. The prince, as he had become known to local natchez, mississippi residents, had been captured in war when he was 26 years old, sold to slave traders in this remarkable work, terry alford tells the story of abd al rahman ibrahima, a muslim slave who, in 1807, was recognized by an irish ships surgeon as the son of an african king who had saved his.
Ibrahima abd al rahman managed to return to africa after living as a slave in the united states. Terry alford tells the story of abd al rahman ibrahima, a muslim slave who. Dec 06, 2015 abd alrahman ibrahima writes alfatiha when asked to inscribe the lords prayer in arabic english text. In 1788 sori was 26 years old and heir to the throne of one of the largest kingdoms in africa presentday guinea, fouta djallon when he was captured, in an ambush, and was sold to english slavers. In this remarkable work, terry alford tells the story of abd al rahman ibrahima, a muslim slave who, in 1807, was recognized by an irish ships surgeon as the son of an african king who had saved his life many years earlier. Ibrahima abdal rahman was one of few men to return to africa after living as a slave in the united states. By alex kronemer and michael wolfe prince among slaves is a nationally broadcast documentary, which is now a part of a major humanities outreach project.
In 1789, at the age of twentysix, ibrahima, then a young lieutenant, was captured in a war and deported to natchez, mississippi. Abdur rahman iii was the ablest and most accomplished of the omayyad rulers of spain. According to this account, during ibrahima s childhood in africa, his father was sent to conquer. Abdulrahman ibrahim ibn sori project gutenberg self. Summary portrait of a west african prince known as ibrahima, prince of slaves, and abdulrahman ibrahim ibn sori. Prince among slaves by terry alford, alford, paperback. Summary of a statement with regard to the moorish prince. The rebels ambushed the troop and captured the commander. After spending 40 years in slavery, he was freed in 1828 by order of u. This book tells the littleknown story of abd alrahman ibrahima, a fulbe muslim of elite ancestry who was captured in an ambush, sold to english.
In this remarkable work, terry alford tells the story of abd al rahman ibrahima, a muslim slave who, in 1807, was recognized by an irish ships surgeon as the son of an african king who had. Much of what is currently known about abdul rahman ibrahima comes from a pamphlet titled a statement with regard to the moorish prince, abduhl rahhahman, written by thomas h. The other captive had a much more unusual name and finer pedigree. In 1760, abd alrahman ibrahima, an ethnic fulani and a muslim. The first two determined the flow of historical events in the mediterranean region, whereas mahmud of ghazna had a decisive impact on central asia and the indopakistan subcontinent.
Prince among slaves provides not only an outline of abd al rahman ibrahima s life, but a glimpse of the local politics of the late eighteenth century in the area we now know as guineau, into slavery as practiced in mississippi in the late 18thearly 19th century, and into the stumbling blocks to repatriating an african to his homeland. In this remarkable work, terry alford tells the story of abd al rahman ibrahima, a muslim slave who. In this remarkable work, terry alford tells the story of abd al rahman ibrahima, a muslim slave who, in 1807, was recognized by an irish ships surgeon as the son. From the colonization and journal of freedom 1834, frontispiece abdul rahman abdal rahman. The documentary is a production of unity productions foundation upf in association with spark media and duke media. Abdul rahman 1762 1829 abdul rahman, 1828, by henry inman, 1828. Abd alrahman i, more fully abd alrahman ibn muawiya ibn hisham ibn abd almalik ibn marwan 731788 arabic. Prince among slaves abdul rahman soris story blog of aalbc. Prince among slaves in this remarkable work, terry alford tells the story of abd al rahman ibrahima, a muslim slave who, in 1807, was recognized by an irish ships surgeon as the son of an african king who had saved his life many years earlier. Abd al rahman ibrahima was a muslim prince from west africa who was made a slave in the united states. Prince among slaves by terry alford 2007, paperback for. One of those accounts was a book published that same year, prince among slaves, which chronicled the fate of a young royal heir from presentday guinea named abdul rahman ibrahima sori, who ended up a slave in mississippi. President john quincy adams and secretary of state henry clay after the sultan of morocco.
Feb 12, 2016 abd al rahman ibrahima was a muslim prince from west africa who was made a slave in the united states. In the summer of 1829, abdul rahman ibrahima returned to africa after 40 years of enslavement in the united states. It tells the amazing story of an enslaved muslim prince from africa who. Its author, historian terry alford, came across the story in old deed books while doing graduate research in mississippi. The first one is an excerpt from the mcdougallittel literature series that all sixth grade new haven students use in their classroom. He spent thirtynine years as a slave on a cotton plantation before sailing to liberia in 1829. Prince among slaves abdul rahman soris story blog of. Feb 18, 2020 in this remarkable work, terry alford tells the story of abd al rahman ibrahima, a muslim slave who, in 1807, was recognized by an irish ships surgeon as the son of an african king who had saved his life many years earlier.
From there, he was taken to natchez, mississippi, and began a long attempt to be reunited with his people. Prince among slaves available at mecca books the islamic. I was a former slave of joseph davis, a brother of jefferson davis, president of the confederacy. Prince among slaves paperback used history books, black. Prince among slaves provides not only an outline of abd al rahman ibrahimas life, but a. S a rahman ed abebooks abebooks shop for books, art. His name was abdul rahman ibrahima sori, and he remained enslaved. His life is one of the rare examples as to how some african captives were abd al rahman was born into an aristocratic family in timbuktu in the middle of the eighteenth century. By 1788, at the age of 26, ibrahima was a military leader within the fulbe army when he was reportedly ambushed, captured and sold to slave traders. Prince among slaves provides not only an outline of abd al rahman ibrahima s life, but a glimpse of the local politics of the late eighteenth century in the area we now know as guineau, into slavery as practiced in mississippi in the late 18thearly 19th century, and into the stumbling blocks to repatriating an enslaved african to his homeland. After spending 40 years in slavery, he was freed in 1828 by order of president john quincy adams and secretary of state henry clay after the sultan of morocco requested his release.
He was an educated muslim man, and when he was in a raiding party he was captured by an opposing tribe and sold to slavers. The prince, as he had become known to local natchez, mississippi residents, had been captured. This book recounts the true story of an african warriorprince who conquered and. I returned to africa as a free man after many years. After charlemagnes columns arrived at the gates of zaragoza, sulayman got cold feet and refused to let the franks into the city, after his subordinate, alhusayn ibn yahiya, had successfully defeated and captured abd alrahmans most trusted general, thalaba ibn ubayd. Prince among slaves st maarten philipsburg jubilee library. This month, documenting the american south remembers the remarkable story of a muslim prince who became a slave in mississippi. Abdulrahman ibn ibrahima sori was a africanamerican nobleman and amir who was captured in the fouta jallon region of guinea, west africa and sold to slave traders in the united states in 1788. After forty years in america, most of them spent in slavery, abd alrahman won his freedom and was able to return to africa in 1828, thanks in large part to the efforts of secretary of state henry. In this remarkable work, terry alford tells the story of abd al. I was captured by a rival tribe and traded to an english slaver. Library offers islamic, christian books news the daily.
These were abdur rahman iii of spain, muiz of egypt and mahmud of ghazna. The next two books of this unit can also be read together as a class. Despite his education and abilities ibrahima spent forty years in servitude before the u. It is entitled abd alrahman ibrahima from the book, now is your time by walter dean myers.
Its author, historian terry alford, came across the story in old deed books. Upon discovering his noble lineage, his slave master thomas foster, began referring to him as prince, a title he kept until his final days. A look at the remarkable life of abd al rahman ibrahima, the son of an african king, who was captured in war in 1788 at age 26 and shipped to natchez, mississippi, as a slave. Aug 21, 2019 this book tells the littleknown story of abd alrahman ibrahima, a fulbe muslim of elite ancestry who was captured in an ambush, sold to english slavers, and enslaved in the united states in 1788. He was abd alrahman ibrahima, and his story has been reconstructed with skill, style, and scrupulous research in mississippi, washington, london, paris, africa by a young whit historian.
Ibrahima was the son of the almamy, or muslim ruler, of futa jallon guinea. This book tells the littleknown story of abd alrahman ibrahima, a fulbe muslim of elite ancestry who was captured in an ambush, sold to. This book tells the littleknown story of abd alrahman ibrahima, a fulbe muslim of elite ancestry who was captured in an ambush, sold to english slavers, and. Battle, capture, the middle passage, from africa to dominica, to new. Looking at human struggle through the language arts. His name was abdul rahman ibrahima sori, and he remained enslaved for. Ibrahima was shipped to the united states where he was eventually sold to a natchez, mississippi slave trader by the name of thomas foster.