African descendants of Prince Ibrahima returning to Natchez

A group of elders from Timbo in West Africa met with Princess Karen Chatman of Natchez during her visit to the country in 2022. They are all descendants of Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima ibn Sori.

NATCHEZ, Miss. — Twenty West African elders, all
descendants of Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima ibn Sori, are planning a
return visit to Natchez in May, according to Princess Karen Chatman, who is
coordinating the event.

Princess Karen Chatman, a descendant of Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima ibn Sori, is pictured here with Elder Elijah Moody Berry in Timbo, Guinea, in West Africa, in December 2022.

The elders are from Timbo, Guinea, in West Africa. They
are of the Official Royal House of Sori, said Chatman.  They will be
in Natchez from Wednesday, May 8, to Saturday, May 11.

Their ancestor, Abdul Rahman (1762-1829), was an African
prince from Timbo, who was captured in 1788 at the age of 26 and shipped to the
United States where he was sold in Mississippi as a slave. He spent 40 years
toiling on the plantation of Thomas Foster before he gained his freedom in
1848.

Abdul Rahman returned to Africa in 1829, but he died of
yellow fever in Monrovia, Liberia, before he reached his home in Futa Jallon
(now Guinea). He was 67.

Portrait of Prince Abdul Rahman Ibrahima ibn Sori by Henry Inman and engraved by Thomas Illman. Available through U.S. Library of Congress.

Abdul Rahman’s story is told in Terry Alford’s book,
“Prince among Slaves: The True Story of an African Prince Sold into Slavery in
the American South” (Oxford University Press). It is also dramatized in the
film, “Prince Among Slaves” (Unity Productions Foundation), which is based on
Alford’s book.

The Timbo elders visited Natchez for the first time in
May 2023. During their stay, they met with their local relatives, also
descendants of the prince, according to Chatman. On their next visit, they plan
to meet with local leaders, historians, and dignitaries for the purpose of
building and strengthening relationships, Chatman said.

“Now we’re looking for sustainable interaction,” she
said, noting they hope to meet with changemakers, representatives from the
Natchez Historical Society, Historic Natchez Foundation, African American
Museum of History and Culture and Visit Natchez, among other groups,

“We want to experience the places that Prince Sori
visited and review records related to his history and the people who knew him,”
she said.

The theme for the next visit is “Walking in the Footsteps
of a Prince.”

The elders of Timbo will hold a symposium on
Thursday, May 9, at the Natchez Convention Center. In addition to leading
discussions about the life history of Abdul Rahman, Chatman said she will debut
the film “From PRINCE TO SLAVE” that was a collaboration between the
elders of Timbo and the U.S. Embassy in Guinea. Its purpose is to share
historical information about the prince’s departure from Guinea and the latest
research on his life, Chatman said.

Additionally, Chatman said, the elders of Timbo are
hoping to work alongside the community and the mayors’ office to have a
road or street in Natchez “on the path to the Thomas Foster property” named in
Abdul Rahman’s honor. It was on Foster’s land where the prince spent 40 years
enslaved.

Chatman said her organization, The Natchez to Timbo
Connection, has opened a local office in Natchez to facilitate ongoing efforts
in the areas of  research, culture, education, and cultivation of
relationships. The office is managed by Darrel White, the mayor-appointed
volunteer liaison, and Kerri Lewis, the organization’s  director of
History and Culture.

The elders of Timbo envision having university students
from Timbo coming to Natchez and working with Alcorn State University and other
universities within the United States. “We’re interested in collaborations that
allow for shared experiences and the introduction of diverse cultures” Chatman
said.

Chatman, a native of Natchez, is a direct descendant
of Abdul Rahman and his wife, Isabella. She said her
great-great-grandmother was the couple’s daughter. In recent years, her work on
her ancestor has been supported by Mayor Dan Gibson and others in Natchez.

“Mayor Gibson is a catalyst for the sharing of culture,”
she said. “He’s an advocate for inclusion. He’s also a leader, an innovative
thinker, and a champion when it comes to democracy. He’s shown that every
single time I’ve spoken with him.”

Gibson will join the delegation when they travel to
Hartford, Conn., and Washington, D.C.

“I am honored to represent Natchez in these activities
that highlight this significant chapter in American History,” Gibson said. “The
story of Prince Rahman is like no other. His is a noble tale of tragedy
intertwined with both the best and worst of humanity. I am so grateful to see
his legacy being given the recognition so very much deserved.”

 Elders’ Itinerary

May 8: Welcome Lunch Meeting for the delegation
hosted by Mayor Dan Gibson and the Natchez Board of Aldermen from 11 to 2 p.m.
at NAPAC museum.

May 9: A symposium with the theme “Walking in the
Footstep of a Prince” at the Natchez Convention Center with guest speakers from
the Office of the U.S. Secretary of State, along with Trinity College and
Center Church of Hartford, Conn. The elders will also meet with Natchez leaders
and history organizations, including representatives of the Grand Village of
the Natchez Indians.

May 10: Tour of Natchez, including visits to
antebellum homes and other historic sites.

May 11: Meeting with local family members. Meeting
with Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba is also planned.

May 12: Travel to Hartford, Conn., the home of
Thomas Gallaudet (1787-1851), developer of American Sign Language, who assisted
Abdul Rahman in raising money for his return home. The elders will also visit
Trinity College.

May 16: Travel to Washington, D.C., where Abdul
Rahman briefly stayed and gained the support of President John Quincy Adams.

May 21: They leave the United States and return to
Africa on Tuesday, May 21.

See more at this link: https://listenupyall.com/2024/04/11/african-descendants-of-prince-ibrahima-returning-to-natchez/