Mama Ca’line

Mama Ca’line was an enslaved woman who was forcibly taken from her homeland in Dahomey, present-day Benin, in the early 19th century. At the age of eight, she was sold into slavery in New Orleans and later marched with her family to Virginia. She is a central figure in Lucille Clifton's memoir 'Générations,' which traces the lineage and struggles of her descendants, highlighting the resilience and enduring legacy of her family over six generations.