The odyssey of an African slave / / by Sitiki ; edited by Patricia C. Griffin.

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The odyssey of an African slave / / by Sitiki ; edited by Patricia C. Griffin.

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The odyssey of an African slave / / by Sitiki ; edited by Patricia C. Griffin.

Gainesville : University Press of Florida, ©2009.

xii, 211 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

"Recently discovered as a hand-written document in the Buckingham Smith Collection at the New York Historical Society, this remarkable first-person narrative traces the life of Sitiki, whose name was changed to Jack Smith after his enslavement in America. Captured and sold into slavery in Africa as a five-year-old, Sitiki traveled to America as a cabin boy. Eventually sold by the ship's captain to Josiah Smith of Savannah, Georgia, he lived there and in Connecticut with his new master. Captured by the British during the War of 1812, he was returned to the Smiths, to be freed only after the Civil War. He went on to become the first black Methodist minister in St. Augustine, Florida, where he established his own church. Patricia Griffin does not leave the story at the conclusion of the slave narrative, but explores Sitiki's experiences and places them in clear and valuable context. She presents the narrative unencumbered, allowing Sitiki's authority, compassion, and personality to speak for itself. Sitiki, also known as Jack Smith, was born in Africa and died, a free man, in St. Augustine, Florida. He wrote his memoir between 1869 and 1871 with the assistance of historian Buckingham Smith, his former master. Patricia C. Griffin is an independent historical anthropologist."--Publisher's website.

Bibliography Note:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

The narrative -- Slave and master -- Life in Africa -- Life before captivity -- Capture and enslavement -- House slave in a British settlement -- The Middle Passage to Charleston -- "Like a son" -- In the family of Josiah Smith -- Savannah, then north to Connecticut -- Back south and captured again -- Working with the Smith estate -- A slave's view of Spanish St. Augustine -- On becoming a freedman -- As Methodist minister in St. Augustine -- Jack's attitude toward his enslaved status -- Epilogue -- Appendix A: Chronology -- Appendix B: Condition of the manuscript -- Appendix C: Analysis of Sitiki's language -- Appendix D: Buckingham Smith's last will and testament -- Appendix E: Jack Smith's obituary.

AFA copy 39088017637901 gift from the library of Bruce Mouser.

AFA copy 39088017637901 signed by Patricia C. Griffin.

Slaves -- United States -- Biography.

Slavery -- Florida -- History -- 19th century.

Slaves -- Florida -- Saint Augustine -- Biography.

Freed persons -- Florida -- Saint Augustine -- Biography.

Methodist Church -- Florida -- Saint Augustine -- Clergy -- Biography.

Saint Augustine (Fla.) -- Biography.

Africa, West -- Biography.

Griffin, Patricia C.

Catalog Source No.:

(OCoLC)ocn318874498

9780813033914 (alk. paper)

0813033918 (alk. paper)

Horizon Information Portal 3.24_7488

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