Abina And The Important Men Summary

Abina and the Important Men: A Graphic History by historian Trevor R. Getz and illustrator Liz Clarke is a unique combination of educational storytelling and historical facts. Presented in an unconventional historical graphic "novel” formal, Abina and the Important Men is a fascinating multipart text containing a pictorial translation of an engrossing historical account, the primary transcript of that account, and various textbook-like supplements for understanding the history behind a long forgotten story. The purpose of the work can be interpreted as three-fold: sharing Abina’s personal story with the reader, shedding light on the typical work of a historian, and finally discussing historical context behind important themes.

ABINA’S STORY

One problem with understanding colonialism is that not all voices are preserved and written down equally. This is especially true of the
This is evident as Abina continually continues to change hands among the men that own her, including Yaw Awoah, Eddoo, and Tando. Abina’s gender also makes her prone to being enslaved as women were physically weaker, not educated, and were perceived as more submissive. Eddoo highlights Abina’s lack women’s rights when he exclaims, “No Tando…she will marry you because I tell her to do so” (45). Gender was also present in the colonial courtroom through paternalistic British attitudes and law system. According to Davis, “To be a member of the jury, you must speak English well, you must own land or have money, and above all you must a man” (57). Finally, gender was at the heart of Abina’s motives in bringing her case to court, as she sought to navigate a route from shame to respectability through the institution of marriage and determine her own