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Venture Smith
Venture Smith (1729–1805) was an African-born man enslaved in New England who later documented his life story in his autobiography, "A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, A Native of Africa." Captured as a child in what is now Ghana, Smith endured the brutal transatlantic slave trade before being sold in Rhode Island. He ultimately secured his own freedom, as well as that of his family, through sheer determination and hard work, becoming a property owner and respected figure in Connecticut. His autobiography is one of the earliest known narratives by an African in colonial America, offering valuable insights into slavery, freedom, and African heritage.
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Venture Smith
CHAPTER I. Containing an account of his life, from his birth to the time of his leaving his native country. I was born at Dukandarra, in Guinea, about the year 1729. My father's name was Saungm Furro, Prince of the Tribe of Dukandarra. My father had three wives. Polygamy was not uncommon in that country, especially among the rich, as every man was allowed to keep as many wives as he could...
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