Bay Area

Sarah Forbes Bonetta: Black and British

Published

6 years ago

January 2, 2020

The year was 1848. A Dahomeyan army of fearless Amazon warriors besieged Oke-Odan, a Nigerian village inhabited by the Egbado. Lives were lost; many were stolen to become slaves. Taken captive during the raid was 5-year-old Sarah Forbes Bonetta (1843–1880), born Aina. Her parents had been decapitated; her siblings slaughtered. Tribal marks on her face marked her status of princess, thus she was taken to the court of the Dahomeyan king, Ghezo, to become a human sacrifice.

Awaiting certain death, Aina was rescued by Captain Frederick Forbes of the Royal Navy. He convinced King Ghezo to give Aina to Queen Victoria, telling him that Queen Victoria would never kill a child and would certainly not respect him if he did so. About Aina, Forbes later wrote in his journal: “She would be a present from the king of the blacks to the queen of the whites.”

Forbes took Aina home to Gravesend, in northwest Kent, England. His wife then baptized Aina with the name Sarah Forbes Bonetta, for his ship, HMS Bonetta. Shortly thereafter, young Bonetta would meet Queen Victoria.

In 1850, Bonetta received an invitation to Windsor Castle, where she impressed the Queen Victoria and other royals. Despite her continuing to live with the Forbes, Bonetta had also become a part of the royal household and was a playmate to the royal prince and princess.

Young Bonetta quickly mastered music, art, and writing. Forbes later described her as a, “perfect genius with an amazing strength of mind and affection.” Queen Victoria, noting Bonetta’s penchant for learning and natural regal manner, raised as her goddaughter in the British middle class. She gave Bonetta an allowance for her welfare and allowed her to become a regular visitor to Windsor Castle.

No stranger to loneliness, Queen Victoria told Bonetta’s story: “Bonetta had been confined in a small space for weeks without human contact, and sometimes witnessed other people being dragged out of confinement to be sacrificed, knowing that it would be her turn one day too.”

She also wrote of her first meeting with Bonetta: “When we came home, found Albert still there, waiting for Captain Forbes and a poor little Negro girl, whom he brought back from the King of Dahomé, her Parents and all her relatives having been sacrificed. Captain Forbes saved her life by asking for her as a present . . . She is seven years old, sharp and intelligent, and speaks English. She was dressed as any other girl. When her bonnet was taken off, her little black woolly head and big earrings gave her the true negro type.”

In 1851, Bonetta developed a chronic cough from Great Britain’s climate and tuberculosis. She was then sent to school in Africa, returning to England in 1855. She later married Captain James Pinson Labulo Davies, a Victorian Lagos businessman.

Bonetta died of tuberculosis in 1880. Davies erected a monument in her memory at Ijon, in Western Lagos, where he had started a cocoa farm.

Tamara Shiloh

About Tamara Shiloh

Tamara Shiloh has published the first two books in her historical fiction chapter book series, Just Imagine…What If There Were No Black People in the World is about African American inventors, scientists and other notable Black people in history. The two books are Jaxon’s Magical Adventure with Black Inventors and Scientists and Jaxon and Kevin’s Black History Trip Downtown. Tamara Shiloh has also written a book a picture book for Scholastic, Cameron Teaches Black History, that will be available in June, 2022.

Tamara Shiloh’s other writing experiences include: writing the Black History column for the Post Newspaper in the Bay area, Creator and Instruction of the black History Class for Educators a professional development class for teachers and her non-profit offers a free Black History literacy/STEM/Podcast class for kids 3d – 8th grade which also includes the Let’s Go Learn Reading and Essence and tutorial program. She is also the owner of the Multicultural Bookstore and Gifts, in Richmond, California,

Previously in her early life she was the /Editor-in-Chief of Desert Diamonds Magazine, highlighting the accomplishments of minority women in Nevada; assisting with the creation, design and writing of a Los Angeles-based, herbal magazine entitled Herbal Essence; editorial contribution to Homes of Color; Editor-in-Chief of Black Insight Magazine, the first digital, interactive magazine for African Americans; profile creations for sports figures on the now defunct PublicFigure.com; newsletters for various businesses and organizations; and her own Las Vegas community newsletter, Tween Time News, a monthly publication highlighting music entertainment in the various venues of Las Vegas.

She is a member of:

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)

Richmond Chamber of Commerce

Point Richmond Business Association

National Association of Professional Women (NAPW)

Independent Book Publishers Association (IPBA)

California Writers Club-Berkeley & Marin

Richmond CA Kiwanis

Richmond CA Rotary

Bay Area Girls Club

Tamara Shiloh, a native of Northern California, has two adult children, one grandson and four great-grand sons. She resides in Point Richmond, CA with her husband, Ernest.

www.multiculturalbookstore.com

Posts by Tamara Shiloh | Website

Up Next

California Writers, Photogs Sue State Over New Law That Chokes Freelance Journalism

Don't Miss

Holistic Health Practices Aimed at Preventing Cancer

Tamara Shiloh

About Tamara Shiloh

Tamara Shiloh has published the first two books in her historical fiction chapter book series, Just Imagine…What If There Were No Black People in the World is about African American inventors, scientists and other notable Black people in history. The two books are Jaxon’s Magical Adventure with Black Inventors and Scientists and Jaxon and Kevin’s Black History Trip Downtown. Tamara Shiloh has also written a book a picture book for Scholastic, Cameron Teaches Black History, that will be available in June, 2022. Tamara Shiloh’s other writing experiences include: writing the Black History column for the Post Newspaper in the Bay area, Creator and Instruction of the black History Class for Educators a professional development class for teachers and her non-profit offers a free Black History literacy/STEM/Podcast class for kids 3d – 8th grade which also includes the Let’s Go Learn Reading and Essence and tutorial program. She is also the owner of the Multicultural Bookstore and Gifts, in Richmond, California, Previously in her early life she was the /Editor-in-Chief of Desert Diamonds Magazine, highlighting the accomplishments of minority women in Nevada; assisting with the creation, design and writing of a Los Angeles-based, herbal magazine entitled Herbal Essence; editorial contribution to Homes of Color; Editor-in-Chief of Black Insight Magazine, the first digital, interactive magazine for African Americans; profile creations for sports figures on the now defunct PublicFigure.com; newsletters for various businesses and organizations; and her own Las Vegas community newsletter, Tween Time News, a monthly publication highlighting music entertainment in the various venues of Las Vegas. She is a member of:

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)
Richmond Chamber of Commerce
Point Richmond Business Association
National Association of Professional Women (NAPW)
Independent Book Publishers Association (IPBA)
California Writers Club-Berkeley & Marin
Richmond CA Kiwanis
Richmond CA Rotary
Bay Area Girls Club

Click to comment

Arts and Culture

IN MEMORIAM: Oakland Dance Legend Reginald Ray-Savage, 67

Savage lived his life as tribute to the teachers who had shared their wisdom on art and life with him. With a palpably genuine enthusiasm and desire to bring out the best in people, and pass the torch to the next generation, he poured into his students, as his teachers and mentors had into him. His infectious energy, love of life, and generosity of spirit inspired countless souls, both inside and outside the dance studio.

Published

13 seconds ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Reginald Ray-Savage brought the old-school teaching techniques he learned in the Katherine Dunham Dance Company to the youth at the Oakland School for the Arts in 2003. Courtesy photo.

Special to The Post

Reginald Ray-Savage – dancer, choreographer, and beloved teacher, mentor, and inspiration to many – passed away on May 17. The Oakland School for the Arts dance instructor was 67.

Born Reginald Ray, Jr. in St. Louis, Missouri, on Sept. 5, 1958, he formally adopted the name ‘Savage,’ to honor the great Archie Savage, his mentor at Katherine Dunham’s Performing Arts Training Center where his dance training journey began in East St. Louis, Illinois.

He soon started dancing professionally with Katherine Dunham Dance Company, making dance a way of life. His grit, tenacity, and notorious work ethic brought him scholarships to train at multiple prestigious dance institutions, including The Ailey School (NYC) and Ruth Page School of Dance (Chicago), under the direction of acclaimed ballet instructor Larry Long and Dolores Lipinski-Long.

He danced with several companies including Joel Hall Dance Company, Ruth Page Ballet Chicago, Lyric Opera, Chicago City Ballet, American Festival Ballet, and touring productions of “Music Man” and “A Chorus Line”.

In 1989, Savage moved to Oakland where he started teaching seven days a week, amassing a devoted following that was attracted to his no-nonsense, impassioned, and effective old-school teaching style.

In 1992, at the insistence of his committed core of students, he founded Savage Jazz Dance Company (SJDC). Over a span of 30 years, Savage produced more than 100 original works, and tour SJDC nationally and internationally, performing at Casa del Jazz in Rome to a packed house and rave reviews—the first dance company to receive such an invitation.

Savage built SJDC into one of the Bay Area’s most respected dance companies, creating a signature style known for its combination of disciplined training, blended with rich artistic musical expression, and raw energy.

In 2003, Savage joined the Oakland School for the Arts as chair of the School of Dance. Over the next two decades, he created, built, and maintained a strong dance program, recognized, and respected by other dance institutions for forging well-trained and resilient dancers and human beings.

The depth of Savage’s tough love and care, and the skill of his teaching and mentoring are reflected in the careers of his students who have gone on to dance with the San Francisco Ballet, Martha Graham Dance Company, Mark Morris Dance Group, Janet Jackson, Ariana Grande, and companies across the globe.

Mark Kitaoka, a photographer hired by Savage in 2016, posted a living eulogy on the dance instructor.

“When I see the self-pride he builds in his students I am constantly impressed that people like Savage still exist in our ‘meme’ society,” Kitaoka wrote. “The kids he mentors are fiercely loyal to one another and I’m certain his methods teach each of those kids to put aside social status, race and gender and is replaced by solid loyalty for other souls.

“What Savage contributes to our world cannot be completely summed up in a few meager paragraphs but can be seen in the countless lives of those he has touched. Because of him, our world, and the world of the future is both a richer and better place.

Reginald Ray-Savage will forever be missed, remembered, and lovingly quoted. He is survived by his beloved wife, Alison Hurley, his sister, Sonia, and his brothers, Pierre, and Andre. May his inextinguishable spirit and impact live on in all the lives he touched.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Bay Area

UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

13 minutes ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

NCBW-OBAC Champions Black Women Entrepreneurs at Business en Blaque Expo

Aspiring entrepreneurs, small business owners, and financial professionals gathered for a day of education, networking, and community engagement. Participants attended workshops and panel discussions covering Business Literacy 101, wealth-building strategies, and entrepreneurship fundamentals.

Published

20 minutes ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

NCBW OBAC President Shari Wooldridge, moderator Jennifer Hammock, Eva Allen of Full Belly Bakery, Samantha Wise of Tip Top Shape, Ashley Harvey of Phoenix AI, Michelle McQueen, owner of Town Fare and Lucy Blue, at the "Business en Blaque” Entrepreneurship Workshop and Small Business Expo at Oakland's Executive Inn & Suites. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Oakland Bay Area Chapter (NCBW-OBAC) strengthened its commitment to economic empowerment through its 2026 Sisternomics initiative, offering free financial literacy and entrepreneurship resources aimed at advancing financial independence among Black women.

As part of the initiative, the “Business en Blaque” Entrepreneurship Workshop and Small Business Expo was held Saturday, May 23, at the Executive Inn & Suites in Oakland.

Aligned with the national theme “Resilient. Resourceful. Ready.,” the event highlighted NCBW-OBAC’s ongoing efforts to close economic gaps and expand opportunities for Black women.

One featured session, moderated by Jennifer Hammock, included panelists Eva Allen of Full Belly Bakery, Samantha Wise of Tip Top Shape, Ashley Harvey of Phoenix AI, and Michelle McQueen, owner of Town Fare and Lucy Blue. Panelists shared candid insights on their business journeys, including both successes and challenges.

McQueen and Blue emphasized the importance of maintaining clear financial records. “It’s important to know where you stand financially so you can make adjustments when necessary,” she said.

Ashley Harvey of Phoenix AI encouraged entrepreneurs to leverage AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude to streamline operations and save time. She also stressed the importance of consistency in marketing. “Just put it out there. We’ve got to get over ourselves,” she said, noting that pre-scheduling social media posts can improve efficiency.

Wise echoed that sentiment, highlighting the value of consistent engagement. “I post two to three times a day because people want to be engaged, and your post doesn’t have to be perfect,” she said. She also shared that her faith continues to guide her work and purpose.

Allen spoke to the role of passion and community in entrepreneurship. “Baking is my passion, and it’s great to build community,” she said.

In addition to educational sessions, the Small Business Expo showcased local Black-owned businesses, creating a platform for visibility and support. The event fostered meaningful connections among attendees, speakers, and vendors.

Anita Russell of Working Solutions provided guidance on accessing capital, encouraging entrepreneurs to be prepared and intentional. “Do your homework, know your ‘why,’ and do not marginalize each other,” she said.