Years ago, my mother, my daughter, and I read several books by Eugenia Price set on St. Simons Island, Georgia. We read the St. Simons Trilogy: “The Lighthouse,” “New Moon Rising,” and “The Beloved Invader.” We also read the Georgia Trilogy: “Bright Captivity,” “Where Shadows Go,” and “Beauty from Ashes.”
At that time, we decided that someday we would visit that area. Next month that dream will become a reality as my daughter takes me on that long-awaited trip for my birthday. (My mother will be with us in spirit.)
Historical fiction allows us to learn history beyond a textbook. It personalizes history. I especially like this definition: “The purpose of historical fiction is to breathe life into such events so that they are more than facts on the page. It gives personality to portraits and depth to the lives of everyday people. Historical fiction is categorized as taking place more than 50 years in the past and based on research rather than the personal experiences of the author. It also must capture the spirit of a bygone era and not use historical settings to explore contemporary issues or ideas.” (John Briggs, eHow Contributor)
I read about the following incident in one of Price’s books and did further research because I was awestruck by the telling.
The plantations on St. Simons Island grew either cotton or rice and existed because of the work of enslaved people. Two of the plantation owners, knowing it was illegal, ordered some West African captives, expecting to sell some of them to other plantation owners.
In May of 1803, the ship Wanderer with dozens of West African captives arrived at a port at Savannah, Ga., after a four- to six-month journey across the Atlantic Ocean. The enslaved passengers aboard the ship were from the southeastern part of an area in what is now known as Nigeria; many were known as Igbo, also known as Ibo or Ebo. The Igbo people are an ethnic group with their own language, customs, religion, and traditions.
After arriving at the port in Savannah, the chained captives were covertly loaded under deck on the smaller schooner York for the trip to St. Simons Island. This had to be done secretly as the 1794 Slave Trade Act outlawed international slave trade on U.S. vessels; in 1800, fines and penalties were increased to anyone investing in slave trade.
During the trip from Savannah to St. Simons Island approximately 75 Igbo people rebelled, taking control of the ship, drowning their captors, and grounding the ship in Dunbar Creek.
For a long time, it was believed what happened next was folklore. The stories have since been substantiated by the Federal Writers Project sponsored by the 1930s WPA program begun by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It is believed that Kunta Kinte, the protagonist in Alex Haley’s book “Roots,” was from the Igbo people.
Seventy-five Igbo people marched ashore, singing. At the direction of their high chief, they marched into the swamp of Dunbar Creek, committing mass suicide — choosing death over slavery. A nearby plantation owner recovered some of the drowned bodies. Some remained missing, a few survived the suicide incident, and some were believed to have escaped.
This event and the deaths tell a powerful story of resistance. Some people still cast doubt and refer to it only as folklore. Fortunately, the Federal Writers Project recorded the oral stories. In September 2002, a two-day commemoration related to this Igbo history took place at the site of the suicide.
Here’s the Thing: Whatever people believe about folklore, mythology, or truth, we cannot deny history. I am looking forward to standing at Dunbar Creek and observing the site of this powerful story. I am thankful for historical fiction which helps me visualize the history of our world and causes me to seek more information. I love books! I love reading! My favorite genre is historical fiction. I love sharing about books I have enjoyed.
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Editor’s Note: This is one of a series of articles written by a group of retired and current teachers — Ken Ballinger, Billy Kreigh, Marianne Darr-Norman, and Anna Spalding. Their intent is to spur discussions at the dinner table and elsewhere. You may also voice your thoughts and reactions via The News-Banner’s letters to editor.
