Ayuba Suleiman Diallo (1701-1773) was born in Bundu (present-day Senegal) to a prominent Muslim family; his father was the religious and political leader of their village, which his father had founded before him. Educated and respected by his people, Ayuba became a wealthy merchant. However, during a business expedition in 1731, a rival tribe kidnapped and sold Ayuba to a British sea captain. He was packed onto the Arabella on 1st March alongside other Africans sold into slavery; by the time his father heard what happened, the Arabella had left for Maryland, where Ayuba was sold to a tobacco planter. From that moment on, Ayuba was called Job Ben Solomon.
During his enslavement, Ayuba met British judge Thomas Bluett and shared his story. Impressed by Ayuba’s character, Bluett let him write to his father in Bundu. The letter reached James Oglethorpe, Director of the Royal African Company, who ordered a Liverpool merchant, Mr Hunt, to buy Ayuba and bring him to England. Ayuba arrived in London in April 1733 and lived in Limehouse. Fearing Hunt would resell him into slavery, Bluett arranged for Ayuba to live at his home in Cheshunt. There, Ayuba learned to read and write English. Local gentry visited to hear his story. To secure Ayuba’s safety, Bluett and his supporters paid Mr Hunt £40 (£4,000 today) for freedom and £20 (£2,000) for travel and accommodation.
With his freedom secured, Bluett introduced Ayuba to London high society. Stirring interest wherever he went, Ayuba received gifts from nobles and even Queen Caroline. He also translated and organised the British Museum's Arabic manuscripts for Hans Sloane. Despite his hosts' attempts to convert him, Ayuba held firm in his faith. In 1734, after three years of hardship, he returned to Africa. He died in 1773. After his departure, Bluett published a book about his life: Some Memories of the Life of Job, the Son of Solomon, High Priest of Boonda in Africa.
Sources:
- The Fortunate Slave: An Illustration of African Slavery in the Early Eighteenth Century by Douglas Grant
- https://www.hertsmemories.org.uk/content/herts-history/people/african-c…
- https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/blog/2021/10/13/black-history-m…
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayuba_Suleiman_Diallo
Image credit: William Hoare (1733), Portrait of Ayuba Suleiman Diallo [oil on canvas]. Lusail Museum, Qatar Museums. Available at: https://www.npg.org.uk/schools-hub/ayuba-suleiman-diallo-by-william-hoa…
Portrait of Ayuba Suleiman Diallo by William Hoare (1733)
