Scipio Africanus

Scipio Africanus was a literate black freedman of African descent in London who was a correspondent of William Seward in 1739. He regularly attended meetings of evangelical societies and carried out a number of tasks for Seward during his absence from London. Lloyd describes him as the First Black Methodist, but little is known about him. He may also have been a correspondent of Charles Wesley in 1783. If it is the same man, he was then living in Sheriff Hutton in rural Yorkshire.

Sources
  • Gareth Lloyd , "The First Black Methodist" in Wesley and Methodist Studies

no.3 (2011) pp.87-95, citing William Seward's Ms Letterbook at the MARC.

Entry written by: JHL
Category: Person
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