2. Joseph Antonio Emidy was born in West Africa in a country called Guinea in 1775. In the late 18th century Guinea was a popular docking port in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. As a child Joseph taken from his home and forced to be a slave in Brazil. At that time Brazil was the hub of various cultures from different countries such as Portugal, Africa and various indigenous people. Music played a large part in the culture so Joseph learned the play the violin before he arrived in Portugal. In 1795 Joseph was a leading violinist in one of the Lisbon Opera Theaters. It was not long before he caught the eye of British Naval Officer Captain Edward Pellew. Pellew had Joseph become a fiddler for his ship’s crew. He stayed aboard Pellew’s ship for
