My story was called “Name Unknown”

The personal story being told is of an unnamed man who was captured by slave traders on the Gold Coast. His entire family was convicted of witchcraft and all brought onto the slave ship Brooks. He was a trader, possibly trading slaves himself. He had an argument with the village chief who got revenge by accusing him and his family of witchcraft. Once he and his family were captured he refused to eat. Soon after he attempted to rip out his own throat. After it was sewed up he then ripped his throat open again with his hands. Ten days later he died of starvation.

The evidence of resistance is when the man tried cutting his throat open after refusing to eat. They sewed his throat back up but he did it again with his own fingernails. They sewed his throat up a final time. He later died of lack of food. He stated “he would never go with the white men” So to stop them from taking him he killed himself.

I learned from the story that it was not uncommon for slaves to refuse to eat anything. I found it surprising that they have a doctor when so many slaves end up injured or just ill and the traders do nothing to help them. I think its odd that they just want the slaves alive not healthy or taken care of.