Omar, the enslaved man who wrote letters to America
Like millions of Africans, Omar ibn Said was brought to the New World against his will where he spent the rest of his life enslaved in the Carolinas. But there was something remarkable about this man from present day Senegal; he was an incredibly well-educated Muslim scholar who could write Arabic. Now, 200 years later, we're finally getting to properly read Omar's letters to America.
Featuring:
Rhiannon Giddens, musician, actor and co-writer of the Pulitzer-winning opera Omar
Mbaye Lo, professor at Duke University and co-author of I Cannot Write My Life: Islam, Arabic and Slavery in Omar ibn…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.