| George Bonga | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 20, 1802 near modern Duluth, Minnesota |
| Died | 1880 |
| Occupation | Fur trader |
George Bonga (August 20, 1802–1880) was a fur trader of African American and Native American descent who was one of the first African American descent born in what is now Minnesota. He was the son of Pierre Bonga, and an Ojibwe mother.[1] Born after 1802, George was schooled in Montreal, and later became a fur trader. He was famous in Minnesota for being, as his brother Stephen claimed "One of the first two black children born in the state." He was also recognized for tracking down a suspected murderer in 1837, an Ojibwe named Che-Ga Wa Skung, then bringing the perpetrator back to justice at Fort Snelling. The ensuing criminal trial was reputedly the first in Minnesota.[2]
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George Bonga was described as standing over six feet tall and weighing 200+ pounds. Reports said that he would carry 700 pounds of furs and supplies at once. He served as an interpreter, and was believed to have acted as a guide and translator for artist Eastman Johnson and for governor Lewis Cass as well. Well respected in the region, the Bonga family remained in the fur trade until the 1860s. George Bonga died in 1880.[3]
George had an older brother Steve, born 1799 and his older sister Marguerite born in 1797-98. Both were born in what is now Minnesota.