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 Said's America See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.