Renee Parks

Instructors Name

November 7, y

Anna Kingsley
Daniel L. Schafer does a wonderful job of presenting Anna Madgigine Jai Kingsleys life
in his book, Ann Madgigine Jai Kingsley: African Princess, Florida Slave, Plantation
Slaveowner. Mr. Schafers book tells the interesting and intriguing story of a woman who lived
during an ever changing time in early Florida. After almost 30 years of research and travel to
several countries, Mr. Schafer is able to compile facts and stories together to form a web of
information that weaves Anna Madgigine Jai Kingsleys life. The author states he has done a
good job separating fact from fiction in his book. The information provided by Daniel L.
Schafer takes the reader on a journey back in time to experience Annas life as an African
Princess, a Florida Slave and a plantation slaveowner.
Was Anna Madgigine Jai Kingsley really an African Princess? There is a legend in Florida
that states Anna was a royal princess. There is also a Jolof legend that suggests Anna was the
daughter of a Ndiaye ruling family. The Jolof girl is named Anta Majigeen Ndiaye. She was
about the same age as Anna. Daniel L. Schafer states that Annas history as an African princess
might be the most credible story told about her life. Unfortunately these stories cannot be
proven. The stories about Anna have been passed down through the years by uncritical
journalists and historians. We can not be certain that they checked for accuracy in the details.
The author obtains a great deal of Annas earlier history in Africa from trained oral historians
known as griots. A respected griot named Adbou Cisse also believes that Annas father was of
royal lineage. One story obtained by the author states that Annas father lost his chance at power
and the family was enslaved. Daniel L. Schafer presents several stories based on legends and
loose documentation that make the reader want to believe Anna was a princess. The author tries
to gather information from Annas supposed royal family. It is suggested that they might not
have acknowledged Anna even if she was related to them. Families did not like to recognize the

capture of fellow family members into slavery. There could have been a couple of reasons for
this. The family might have felt that links to slavery would leave a negative impression on their
family name. The family might have sold the family member into slavery and felt ashamed.
Anna may or may not have been a princess, but the evidence seems certain she was a slave.
It is believed that a girl named Anta Majigeen Ndiaye was captured during a raid in Jolof in
1806. Daniel L. Schaefer infers that Anta and Anna are the same person. Anna made a statement
in Florida that she was from Senegal and she continued to use the name Madgigine and Jai.
Madgigine and Jai translate to Majigeen and Ndiaye in Wolof. Circumstantial evidence also
leads the author to believe that Anna was on the slave ship Sally in Havana. There was a woman
of similar age on this ship. Names of the slaves were never listed on the ships manifest. The
manifest only listed the slaves age, health conditions and sex. There are clear records that show
Anna was bought by Zephaniah Kingsley Jr. in Havana sometime between September 18 - Oct
10, 1806. Zephaniah Kingsley Jr. requested Spanish authorities to issue emancipation papers for
a slave named Anna. Anna was a slave for almost five years before becoming officially
emancipated on March 4, 1811. We know this to be true because there are court documents
written by Zephaniah Kingsley. These documents also mention her three children. Finding an
entire documented life story of a slave is impossible. African slaves traveled between countries
and documents would have to survive the natural elements, fires and wars. Daniel L. Schaefer
uses the parallel life of similar slaves to recreate Annas experiences during this time.
Anna was married to Zephaniah Kingsley Jr. for almost 40 years. Zephaniah
acknowledged her as his wife and praised her character and virtue. Annas husband had other
wives, but Anna had the most authority. Daniel L. Schafer paints a picture of Anna as a strong
and independent woman. She handled her husbands business affairs in his absence and
eventually ran her own plantation. Zephaniah had slaves, but he chose to employ them. He
treated them humanly and encouraged them to live as families and honor their native customs.
Anna owned 12 slaves after her emancipation. Her slaves worked on her property that was
located across the river from her husbands property. Anna followed Zephaniahs example
toward her own slaves. The author infers that Anna was very business like and her slaves were
part of that business. I feel she learned a great deal about business from her husband. Zephaniah

is portrayed as a savvy business man throughout the book. He travels frequently doing business
in several different countries. Annas will shows evidence that she thought of her slaves as
property and part of her business. She listed her slaves in her will as property. I found it
surprising that being a former slave herself she wouldnt give her slaves freedom in her will.
Anna also sued her nephew at one point for mismanagement of his slaves. She felt he wasnt
utilizing their labor skills to the fullest degree. She argued that he should rent them out for labor
if he wasnt using them. This comes across as harsh to me, but once again it proves that Anna
was a business woman. She was looking at the profit for the family. That profit would come in
the form of labor from the slaves or money obtained by renting the slaves out for labor.
I really enjoyed reading and studying Daniel L. Schafers book Anna Madgigine Jai
Kingsley. Mr. Schaefers book takes us on a journey through time that provokes intrigue into the
life of an amazing woman. The author not only takes us into Annas life, but also paints a picture
of life in Florida during the 1900s. The legends written and the documented evidence provide a
wonderful recreation of Annas history in Florida. Daniel L. Schafer gives the reader strong
evidence that Anna was a Florida slave and eventually a slave owner. There are ships manifests
and court documents that provide this evidence. However, Annas link to royalty is based on
large volumes of circumstantial evidence. This may lead the reader to ask, was Anna really a
royal princess? Daniel L. Schafer could not find any documented evidence of her royal lineage
in 30 years of research. We will probably never know for sure if she descended from royalty, but
just the thought of Anna being a princess, then a slave and eventually a slave owner certainly
adds depth to her life and makes for an interesting story.

Works Cited
Schafer, Daniel L. Anna Madgigine Jai Kingsley: African Princess, Florida Slave,
Plantation Slaveowner. Gainesville: U of Florida, 2003. Print.