Aminata diallo the book she wrote

May 15, 2017 aminata becomes known as a hero towards the other slaves, men and women, once she began to work as a bookkeeper for the book of negroes, which is a ledger and record of any slave they come across. At the end of the novel she begins to realize that even though her circumstances were atrocious wrongs against human dignity she has thrived beyond any independence and strength she could have in africa. I loved the way people followed the movement of my hand as i wrote. One excellent novel written by lawrence hill is the book of negroes. Was the book of negroes aminata diallo a real person. Lawrence hill creates a remarkable character and challenges notions of canada as the slaves promised land. The story revolves around aminata diallo, who is kidnapped from africa as a child and sold as a slave in south carolina. Jul 25, 2016 the book i am reading is the book of negroes. Feb 18, 2015 aunjanue ellis and lyriq bent, stars of the book of negroes, explain how aminata diallo is a revolutionary feminist character in the story. She was also a strong dignified and independant woman. But aminata refuses to be called mary, just as years later she refuses to cooperate with abolitionist ghostwriters.

A universal story of loss, courage and triumph, this recounts the extraordinary journey of aminata diallo, an indomitable african woman who survives in a world in which everything seems to be against her. Feb 16, 2015 a gripping, powerful show needs an equally powerful protagonist, and the book of negroes aminata diallo, played by aunjanue ellis, is exactly that. The book of negroes by lawrence hill attempts to make sense of the transatlantic slave trade through the fictional story of its main character, aminata diallo. The book of negroes miniseries wikipedia republished. A gripping, powerful show needs an equally powerful protagonist, and the book of negroes aminata diallo, played by aunjanue ellis, is exactly that. The book of negroes tv miniseries 2015 the book of. Aminata diallo is sent to live as a slave in south carolina. The first paragraph of each book section is her writing about her current life. Aminata diallo aunjanue ellis is captured from her west african village and sent into slavery. Character analysis of aminata book of negroes free essays.

The bet miniseries the book of negroes premieres feb. The book of negroes is a miniseries based on the novel of the same name by canadian writer lawrence hill. The book of negroes tells the story of aminata diallo, who makes this same journey after she is captured by slave traders in africa and brought to america. The book in turn derives its origins from the historical document book of negroes, and tells the story of a fictional woman forcefully brought to south carolina from west africa at. Its heroine is aminata diallo aunjanue ellis, the help, the bright, independent child of bright, independent parents. She is also tasked with entering the names of other former slaves into the naval ledger, the book of negroes, before their journey by ship from new york to canada. But now, able to read and write and to speak boldly and eloquently, she is in england to tell her story and put a. She is surrounded by abolitionists, who want to help abolish slavery. The evidence aminata diallo has to offer is inscribed above her breast. As an old woman, aminata diallo is brought to london, england, in 1802, by abolitionists who are petitioning to end the slave trade.

But years later, she forges her way to freedom, serving the british in the revolutionary war, registering her name in the historic book of negroes and eventually travelling back to africa. Fleeing to canada after the revolutionary war, she escapes to attempt a new. The main character in your novel someone knows my name, aminata diallo, remains in a readers mind long after he or she finishes reading the book. Aminatas gifts include an ability to read, write and translate between several languages these are recognized by many of her peers and small, lifechanging. I am aminata diallo, daughter of mamadu diallo and sira kulibali, born in the. In 1750, elevenyearold aminata diallo is abducted and taken captive from her village in west africa by agents of the v. The book of negroes why aminata diallo is a feminist heroine. Book of negroes reveals littleknown chapter in history. The book of negroes is a television miniseries based on the novel of the same name by. This is a historical fiction book that draws you into history through emotional storytelling and factual information. Feb 16, 2015 its heroine is aminata diallo aunjanue ellis, the help, the bright, independent child of bright, independent parents. The book of negroes book one for the love of books.

Aminata grows close to lindo and his wife, who allow her to read and write openly. Secondly, when aminatas former slave master, solomon lindor separated her from her daughter, it did not seem right. Because aminata can read and write, she is asked by the british naval. There, her story the narrative of her life, which she writes in her final. The book won the top 2008 commonwealth writers prize. Abducted as an 11yearold child from her village in west africa and forced to walk for months to the sea in a coffle a string of slaves aminata diallo is sent to live as a slave in south carolina.

This quote signifies one of the many important messages that the book of negroes tries to convey. Jason tells aminata that all of the slaves she wrote in the book in manhattan, all loved her because she took care of them hill, 344. The book of negroes tells the story of aminata diallo, who makes this same. Aminata had a foot in the old world africa and the new the united states, canada, and eventually the united kingdom. But years later she forges her way to freedom, servi. In its first miniseries, the book of negroes, bet, in partnership with the. Terrible journey, beautiful tale johns hopkins magazine. The story revolves around the life of aminata diallo, who happens to be the daughter of. Lawrence hills the book of negroes 2007 is a fictional exploration into the life of aminata diallo as a young black girl to her life as an elderly woman. The book of negroes quotes showing of 43 to gaze into another persons face is to do two things. She resists his advances and eventually has a child with chekura.

Feb 12, 2015 billed as being in the tradition of roots, but perhaps closer in scope to its sequel queen, the book of negroes is an ambitious sixhour miniseries, anchored by the. The canadian novelist lawrence hill wrote the book of negroes 2007, published in the united states as someone knows my name. Billed as being in the tradition of roots, but perhaps closer in scope to its sequel queen, the book of negroes is an ambitious sixhour miniseries, anchored by the. It is inspired by the african americans who were resettled in nova scotia, and some of them who later chose to go to sierra leone, where they created a colony of freedmen in africa. Feminine analysis on the book of negroes by lawrence hill. During this journey, aminata sees fellow africans being starved, tortured and eventually dying. Aminata looses her identity when she is taken from her home, and through her journey she creates a new identity. Aminata survived that cruel and criminal slave trade which try every way to dehumanize the slaves. Abducted as a child from her village in west africa and forced to walk for months to the sea, aminata diallo is sent to live as a slave in south carolina. So she helped finish the book of negroes, which is a list of all the slaves names, due to her extraordinary language ability.

Based on a true story, the book of negroes tells the story of aminata, a young girl abducted from her village in mali aged 11 in 1755, and who, after a deathly journey on a slave ship where she witnesses the brutal repression of a slave revolt, is sold to. It is an awardwinning novel published not only in canada, but in new zealand, australia, and in the united states as well. The book of negroes audiobook lawrence hill audible. Apr 25, 2019 the book of negroes by lawrence hill attempts to make sense of the transatlantic slave trade through the fictional story of its main character, aminata diallo. What we can learn from the book of negroes aminata diallo. Is aminata based on a real person, and why did you decide to write the book from the perspective of a female character. Lawrence hill, the canadian author who wrote this novel does a tremendous job to magnify an area of history that many of us have neglected over the years. This is what happened to young aminata diallo shailyn pierredixon in 1750.

Jan 23, 2020 she is also tasked with entering the names of other former slaves into the naval ledger, the book of negroes, before their journey by ship from new york to canada. Though she is free, aminata faces discrimination and hardship in nova scotia, where she helps to settle the black community of birchtown. To begin, by the time aminata diallo is able to walk. Aminatas first boat ride is the journey from west africa to south carolina, where she is sold as a slave to robinson appleby greg byrk. Kidnapped by slave traders in west africa then sold into slavery in south carolina, aminata navigates her way through the american revolution in new york. She is not based on a real person, although i did give her the name of my eldest daughter, whose name is genevieve aminata hill. Aminata diallo, the daughter of a jeweller and a midwife, is kidnapped at the age of 11 from her village bayo, near segu in west africa and forced to walk for days to the sea in a coffle with hundreds of strangers and a handful of people from. The book of negroes reading from a new perspective. London, england 1802 while in london she is given the opportunity to write her story, which is something. Aunjanue ellis and lyriq bent, stars of the book of negroes, explain how aminata diallo is a revolutionary feminist character in the story. Readers follow aminata diallos firstperson slave narrative from her. Aminata diallo, played luminously as an adult by american actress aunjanue ellis, starts to narrate the story of her life from when she was a. The first book focuses on aminatas capture from her african village.

The book in turn derives its origins from the historical document book of negroes, and tells the story of a fictional woman forcefully brought to south carolina from west africa at the time of the american revolution. This exploration begins at the onset of the abolition period in europe and details her account in the transatlantic slave trade. The book of negroes the book of negroes is a masterpiece. So in many ways, book of negroes is a story for the x, y, and millenial generations one of these is mine who are now almost 200 years post slavery. I have begun to admire aminata diallo who was stolen from her village at the age of 11 to become a slave. Join facebook to connect with aminata diallo and others you may know. She is an old woman who, as she says, seems to have trouble dying. He uses aminata diallo, as his main character who is abducted from her home in bayo, west africa. Book of negroes essay example topics, sample papers. In my country, few people have complained to me about the title, and nobody continues to do so after i explain its historical origins. She lived in bayo, a small village in africa, and was the daughter of mamadu diallo and sira kulibali. Character analysis of aminata diallo in the book of negroes onomastic analysis aminata good character, trustworthy, of african origin, secretive and introverted yet good at talking to those comfortable with, amina mother of mohammed the prophet this is a very specific and careful choice of a name for the character. Those who founded sierra leone have been described as settlers who brought america to africa.

Lawrence hills fourth novel, the book of negroes, which won the 2008. Aminatas story illustrates the physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, religious, and economic violations of the transatlantic slave trade. As she awaits an audience with king george, she recounts her remarkable life on paper, beginning with her life in bayo, in western africa, prior to being abducted from her family at age 11, seeing the death of her mother and father, and being marched in a coffle. Aminata diallo was almost famous as a spirit leader, both in african community and buckra community.

Aminata becomes known as a hero towards the other slaves, men and women, once she began to work as a bookkeeper for the book of negroes, which is a ledger and record of any slave they come across. Firstly, she fell in love with a slave merchant, who eventually became a slave himself. He features aminata diallo, a young african woman captured as a child. My character, an african woman named aminata diallo whose story is based on this history, has to get into the book before she gets out.

Unless you were in the book of negroes, you couldnt escape to canada. My book choice for the course culminating task was the book of negroes, a gripping novel where the main character, aminata diallo, now an old woman working with abolitionists in england, is writing down the story of her life and her experience with slavery. Aminata s story illustrates the physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, religious, and economic violations of the transatlantic slave trade. The story revolves around the life of aminata diallo, who happens to be the daughter of a midwife and a jeweller in west africa. Aminata diallo abducted as a child from her village of bayo and subsequently enslaved in south carolina, aminata diallo wants nothing more than to secure her freedom and one day return home. Book of negroes reveals littleknown chapter in history the boston. In the novel the book of negroes, a young slave girl, aminata diallo, is faced with numerous physical struggles. Jan 20, 2008 but aminata refuses to be called mary, just as years later she refuses to cooperate with abolitionist ghostwriters. So is the book of negroes lead character aminata diallo. Feb 16, 2015 the bet miniseries the book of negroes premieres feb. Her identity is a teacher, mother and story teller.