In this portrait, an older man looks directly at us with a
gentle smile. There is wisdom in his eyes and warmth in his
expression. His rosy cheeks and the glint in his eyes suggest
his lively personality. He wears a blue coat with shiny brass
buttons and a heavy overcoat, indicating he may have just
come in from the cold. His knit cap suggests a kufi, a hat
traditionally worn by African Muslim men.
Yarrow Mamout (around 1736–1823) was brought in bondage
from Guinea in West Africa to Maryland around 1752, when
he was a teenager (see map on page 4). By the time this
portrait was made, he had endured forty-five years of
enslavement, gained his freedom, purchased his son’s
freedom, bought a house, and held stock in a bank. Devoted
to his Muslim faith throughout his life, Mamout was literate
in both Arabic and English.
In the winter of 1818–19, the artist Charles Willson Peale
traveled to Washington, DC, the nation’s capital, to paint
portraits of prominent figures for exhibition in his museum
in Philadelphia. While there, he heard about Yarrow Mamout,
who was rumored to be 140 years old (though he was
actually around 83). Peale was 77 years old at the time and
was interested in what contributed to a long, healthy life.
He set out to find Mamout and paint his picture.
Yarrow Mamout was manumitted (legally freed) in the
1790s, becoming a well-known member of the capital’s Free
Black community of about 400 people in the Georgetown
neighborhood. He reportedly worked for fixed wages during
the day and spent nights making nets, baskets, and other
items for sale. When he died in 1823, his obituary read, “it is
known to all that knew him, that he was industrious, honest,
and moral.” Peale displayed this portrait in his museum to
illustrate such character. Two centuries later, Mamout remains
a role model of perseverance and strength.
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