Vigo County Historical Society

Book recounts African’s story

The museum’s collection of African-American artifacts is small. An attempt to correct this situation is now in progress.

This week’s historical treasure is one of the few artifacts in the collection. It is a small tract on the life of David (Ndapy) Jayn Manley. It was published in 1919 by Indianapolis’ Indiana Central University and titled "From the Jungles of Africa to Indiana Central University."

David was a first-year student at ICU at the time of the tract’s publication. He was attending the college run by the United Brethren Church on a scholarship from the Christian Endeavor Society of White River Branch. As one of his responsibilities as a scholarship holder, David traveled to neighboring churches on behalf of the society to speak on his life in Africa and the mission work the society did there. The tract was published to be used at these speaking engagements.

Ndapy, meaning "a fight" was born to Fatima the Beautiful, head wife of Fodey, the village’s Mohammedan priest in Sierra Leone. His life began at the start of the family to flee the country. The family endured great hardship, slavery and the death of many loved ones.

After their mother’s death, the children were sent to the United Brethren Mission of Shenge where Ndapy received his name David Jayn Manley. He excelled in his school work and became a strong leader of the other boys--in work and in mischief.

David dreamed of a better life and started looking for a school in Africa or America where he could learn to be a teacher for his people. After graduating from mission school, David endured the hardships that go with being an apprentice tailor before he was accepted by an academy run by missionaries. He graduated and was sent to a mission farm in Senge where he taught for seven years.

He finally was given a scholarship to ICU in Indianapolis. All he had to do was get there. He earned his passage to New York by working in a ship’s engine room and as a fireman. He shoveled coal for 22 days to earn his passage and $25.

The society’s agent in New York didn’t meet David for two days, then he was put on a train bound for Indianapolis. David had been bewildered in New York but the train terrified him. Upon arriving in Indianapolis, David was met by the Red Cross and made his way to the college.

That is where the story of David (Ndapy) Jayn Manley ends. There is nothing else in the archives to tell us the rest of the story. We do know the tract was donated to the museum by Anna Brill.

Help us learn more about Vigo County’s African-American history; contact the museum if you have something to share or donate. For anyone who has a photo but does not wish to donate it, the museum can have a copy made without harming the original.