“I was soon put down under the decks, and there I received such a salutation in my nostrils as I had never experienced in my life: so that, with the loathsomeness of the stench, and crying together, I became so sick and low that I was not able to eat, nor had I the least desire to taste anything.” – Olaudah Equiano.[1] The exact quote from the letter that was written by one of the slaves in slave ships was devastating and horrible. He was sick and the overwhelming scent of food was terrible, and he was not able to eat. He also recalled hearing sobbing, which was probably coming from other enslaved Africans who were also experiencing discomfort on the slave ship due to the crowded and terrible conditions. So, many African slaves who were made to travel the Middle Passage would have gone through extreme physical and mental pain. They were captured from their homes and families, sometimes through violent means, and held heartlessly for weeks or months at a time on slave ships (“A Journey in Chains”). How did this horror happen and why? European countries including Portugal, Spain, and England started exploring and colonizing the Americas in the 15th and 16th centuries. To farm the land and collect resources like gold and silver, these settlements needed a lot of employees. At the same time, the slave trade gave European traders and merchants a profitable source of cash. The forced trade of enslaved individuals for valuable goods was the result of the political and economic conditions of the era, which were defined by European colonization and the insatiable demand for cheap labor in the New World. However, this trade was not a mere transactional exchange of goods, but a grotesque manifestation of the brutal subjugation and exploitation of vulnerable populations. During the Middle Passage, enslaved individuals suffered horrendous conditions, including overcrowded and unsanitary living quarters, deprivation of food and water, and rampant diseases. Many perished during the voyage, while those who survived were subjected to a lifetime of forced labor, physical and emotional abuse, and profound degradation[1]. The enduring legacy of the Middle Passage echoes to this day, as countless individuals and communities grapple with the long-term effects of slavery and colonialism. It serves as a poignant reminder of the atrocities that can arise from systems of oppression and highlights the urgent need to pursue justice and equity for all people. European slave traders started capturing and bringing vast numbers of Africans from the west coast of Africa to the Americas to supply the demand for labor in those regions. Typically, these captive Africans were sold into slavery by other Africans to European traders in return for products like wine, textiles, and guns[2]. To convey enslaved Africans to the Americas across the Atlantic, slave ships were created. The ships were designed to carry as many enslaved Africans as possible while keeping expenses low and insuring the worker’s and cargo’s protection. Enslaved Africans were frequently packed into cramped, filthy quarters aboard slave ships, where the crew would physically assault and mistreat them (Lehrman). Besides disrupting the age-old trade networks connecting African nations, the transatlantic slave trade caused unemployment and a loss of wealth[1]. In order to promote the growth of European businesses, Africa’s natural resources were stolen from the continent and transported to the Americas, which resulted in the development of an economic system based on the exploitation of African labor and resources. The long-term effects of exploitation of Africa’s natural resources on its economic growth ultimately led to the continent’s stagnation and poverty. The utilization of the Brooke’s slave ship diagram as a tool for abolitionist promotion marked a pivotal moment in the movement to abolish the transatlantic slave trade. This vivid depiction of 454 enslaved Africans crammed into the hold of a single ship served to evoke public outrage towards the inhumane practice of the slave trade[2]. Slave traders maintained detailed written records, known as remarks of slave exchanges, which documented the physical characteristics of each enslaved individual, including age, height, weight, skin tone, and any distinguishing marks or scars. These remarks played a critical role in the slave trade by determining the value of each slave and facilitating the matching of slaves with prospective buyers based on their abilities or attributes. The transatlantic slave trade had a profound and enduring impact on African communities.
