Richard Pierpoint's Life

His first name is unknown and there are no surviving records of it. He was born in the African Kingdom of Bondu, Senegambia, West Africa. He was most likely of the Fulani Tribe, however could have been part of the Wolof Tribe or the Mandinke Tribe. He was also probably Moslem and possibly knew how to read and write.

His people were very skilled at agriculture. As well as great merchants and herders. His people were intelligent, but greed and selfishness caused many battles between the local tribes.

At age 18 he was captured and became a slave along with 60% of this era's African population. They walked to the Gambia River and were shipped down to James Fort, in proximity to the ocean. Here he was branded and became part of the Royal African Company. He is now an object, no longer with his own life.

Life at sea was bitter and difficult. The trip could take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months at sea. Through the whole journey he was attached to others never relieved of their bond. Their cramped holding cell smelt of many human disgusting bodily fluids. 15% of the people stolen from their lives died on the journey across. Very many of them wished to die because of their "situation", however Pierpoint kept going through everything.

Here he was cleaned up and fed to be presentable in the slave markets. Slave owners liked young, strong workers for their plantations.

Thousands and thousands of people were ripped away from their lives to be slaves on plantations for countless hours without proper rest or care. This was inhumane, but the slave owners did not care. They only cared about profit. There were also white slaves. These slaves were cared for more nicely though. Many activists sought equality, however this was only equality for all white men. This made slaves' lives extremely difficult.

He was put on display to be bought in New England, United States of America. Wherever he was bought, he now belonged to a British soldier, named Richard Pierpoint.

He turned up 20 years after becoming a slave in Fort Niagara. He now had two other names; Captain Dick and Pawpine. His part of the British Army often included Native Americans. He was now fighting in the American Revolutionary War. He was a fierce and tough soldier on the battlefield.

At age 36, he left the army and disappeared again for 4 years.

Now a veteran he was given a 200-acre piece of the land near St. Catherines, Ontario. He worked for three years clearing his land to make it farmland. In 1791, he sold part of his land. Canada more African friendly than the United States of America, however it was still tough for all Africans.