Drawings of western africa, university of virginia library, special collections, mss 14357, no. The middle passage was the stage of the triangular trade in which millions of africans were forcibly transported to the new world as part of the atlantic slave trade. Home browse sociology and anthropology labor and work slavery middle passage. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read slavery at sea. Smallwood writes, considering the saltwater dimension of slaves lives allows us to piece together a picture of a place, a time, and an experience that does not otherwise figure into the archival record. Books about africans who endured the middle passage, only to be sold into slavery. The middle passage although the origins are unknown and the meaning has changed over time, the middle passage is a term that commonly refers to the transporting of african slaves from the west african coast, across the atlantic sea to the americas, aboard slave ships known as slavers. As the nation recognizes the experiences and achievements of africanamericans, writer kai wright reads from a. The tragic history of slavery through the middle passage. A middle passage from africa to american diaspora stephanie e.
You think about the most popular slavery books, were looking at largely. A middle passage from africa to american diaspora, is a book that sought to explore and give new insight into the horrors of slavery. Middle passage begins with an audacious sentence, of all the things that drive men to sea, the most common disaster, ive come to learn, is women, which announces its audacious conceit. The middle passage the atlantic crossing from africa to. An animation which explores the slave trade and the journey of the transatlantic voyage. Middle passage entries alexsavoy, raj01, sophie3301. Middle passage by olaudah equiano one of the most interesting arguments that modern apologists makes for the practice of racebased slavery in the americas is the fact that slavery existed in africa during that time period and that africans were complicit in the transatlantic slave trade. Jun 14, 2017 a recent wave of popular historical scholarship on slavery and racism has swept the nonfiction landscape. A recent wave of popular historical scholarship on slavery and racism has swept the nonfiction landscape. Slave ships usually took between six and eleven weeks to complete the voyage. Keep the image projected and instruct students to again focus on it. Ships departed europe for african markets with manufactured goods, which were traded for purchased or kidnapped africans, who were transported across the atlantic as slaves. Terror, sex, and sickness in the middle passage ebook written by sowande m mustakeem.
Slaver ships were specifically designed for maximizing the numbers of african men, women, and children that slavetrading captains and their crews could bring to the americas. Countless slaves made this middle passage voyage from the 1600s through the beginning of the 1800s with many dying on the journey. Millions of africans were packed tightly onto ships bound for the americas. Middle passage definition, conditions, significance. The lost history of the middle passage pacific standard. The middle passage was the route of sea going journeys of africans taken from their native land, to the shores of the caribbean and america, where they were invariably destined to an existence of institutional slavery. Comparative studies in the atlantic slave trade 1978 and four studies of slavery, the most recent of which are slavery and the economy of so paulo, 1750850 coauthor, 2003, african slavery in latin america and the caribbean coauthor, 2008, and slavery in brazil coauthor, 2009, as well as four. Discover librarianselected research resources on middle passage from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. One valuable new voice here is sowande mustakeem, whose debut book, slavery at sea. The slave trade and the middle passage drama of african.
The middle passage, the story of adaku part ii by mary devey available from rakuten kobo. Click here for a great selection of books about the middle passage. It was socalled because it was the middle section of the trade route taken by many of the ships. Smallwood sought to give a new history of american slavery starting in africa, and detailing how the horrors of crossing the atlantic, the commodification of slaves, and the captivity led to. Slavery and the making of america is a production of thirteenwnet new york. See more ideas about african american history, black history and american history. Middle passage is a story of slavery, often brilliant in its structure and riveting in the way its told. Teachers interested in using the entire poem can simple. Slavery at sea does an excellent job describing the importance of the middle passage, as well as forcefully rejecting the notion that slave subjugation began upon arrival in america. Captured in africa, enduring the middle passage on a slave ship, she was sold to the wheatley family of boston. See more ideas about middle passage, african american history and black history. Alex haleys roots awakened many americans to the cruelty of slavery. Middle passage african canoes and european sailing vessels, corisco island, equatorial guinea, mid19th century. It was one leg of the triangular trade route that took goods from europe to africa, africans to work as slaves in the americas and the west indies, and items produced on the plantations back to europe.
Middle passage page 3 of 7 the atlantic slave trade was the largest forced migration of people by sea in history. Born into slavery, frederick douglass was a runaway slave, abolitionist, civil rights advocate, author and statesmen. The story of the slave captain who saw the light quit his profession, and wrote the hymn amazing grace is included on the site. Slaver ships were specifically designed for maximizing the numbers of african men, women, and children that slavetrading captains and their crews could bring. Terror, sex, and sickness in the middle passage, charts the human history of the atlantic slave trade. Middle passage 1990 is a historical novel by charles r. There are many books about conditions on american plantations, but slavery at sea sheds light on another ugly part of the slave trade, the middle passage. The middle passage of the triangle trade was the second leg of the threepart journey from africa to the european colonies, in which slaves were transported by the millions. The first section the outward passage was from europe to africa. The family taught her to read and admired her poetry and introduced her to many of the personages of the time. As the nation recognizes the experiences and achievements of africanamericans, writer kai wright reads from a rare firsthand account of slavery s middle passage.
In 2002 he received the arts and letters award in literature from the american academy of arts and letters. Middle passage, the forced voyage of enslaved africans across the atlantic ocean to the new world. Part 2 on the middle passage in the series sold into slavery, the story of adaku promises an inspiring journey that dwells on friendship and love, of hardships and terror, of betrayals and loyalties, all forged amidst the roar of slavery on the harsh atlantic seas. The middle passage african passages, lowcountry adaptations.
These two books on the slave trade, particularly the middle passage, reach beyond the bounds of traditional historical writing to great effect. Excellent research, a clear and engaging literary style, and an appropriate use of primary source material recommend this book for the student of the. Scenes of subjection is one of the first scholars to examine critically todays african american pilgrimages to ghana and the complexities of slavery. Apr 26, 2010 among these books are the middle passage. The middle passage was the second leg of the triangular slave trade that went from europe to africa, africa to the americas, and then back to europe. From slavery to freedom to the arduous battle for civil rights, the tenvolume drama of africanamerican history series traces the black american experience from its roots to the present day. Obviously, she discusses the elements of slave ships that are normally portrayed, such as illnesses and the dreadful conditions aboard them, but she also talks about something that is also important, sex. Slave ships and the middle passage encyclopedia virginia. Stephanie smallwoods saltwater slavery sets a new standard. Firstperson accounts of the middle passage are very rare. Roughly 15% of enslaved people didnt survive the middle passage. The middle passage focuses attention on the torturous journey which brought slaves from africa to the americas, allowing readers to bear witness to the sufferings of an entire people. Excellent research, a clear and engaging literary style, and an appropriate use of primary source material recommend this book for the student of the atlantic slave trade or the. From the abolitionist campaigners against the slave trade in late eighteenth century britain, to modern academic books and to information.
Smallwood seeks to better understand the perspectives of slaves in the atlantic world of the middle passage by reading between the lines of european documents to tease out the slaves narratives. The conditions for enslaved africans crossing the atlantic ocean in the middle passage were brutal and deadly. Millions of african people were shipped to the americas over the middle passage. This topic in black slavery history is important to know about to truly understand the cruelty involved in the atlantic slave trade. The middle passage was the crossing from africa to the americas, which the ships made carrying their cargo of slaves. Johnson about the final voyage of an illegal american slave ship. The storys desire to reset and recapture a narrative lost in the middle passage is palpable, and in many ways the heart of gyasi. The middle passage was the part of the atlantic slave trade where african enslaved people were brought to the americas on slave ships. In discussions of the atlantic slave trade, the term middle passage often arises. It is at once a harrowing evocation of the middle passage, a brilliant account of the ways that africans and europeans made sense of the bloody process in which they were joined, and a subtle critique of the categories of historical inquiry.
Kinship, the middle passage, and the origins of racial slavery in. Choice slavery at sea does an excellent job describing the importance of the middle passage, as well as forcefully rejecting the notion that slave subjugation began upon arrival in america. The enslaved people were treated so badly on the slave ships that about 15% of them died during the middle passage. The slave trade and the middle passage drama of africanamerican history.
Only the first part of the fourpart poem is attached. Jun 17, 2019 the middle passage was the second leg of the triangular slave trade that went from europe to africa, africa to the americas, and then back to europe. Slavery at sea does an excellent job describing the importance of the middle passage, as well as forcefully rejecting the notion that slave subjugation began upon arrival in america excellent research, a clear and engaging literary style, and an appropriate use of primary source material recommend this book for the student of the atlantic slave trade or the historian who desires new insights into the manufacturing process of slavery. The middle passage an amazing journey through the middle passage with beautiful artwork depicting the horrible reality of the passage. This bold, innovative book promises to radically alter our understanding of the atlantic slave trade, and the depths of its horrors. Focus on the slave trade, article and worksheet attached. An analysis of olaudah equianos the middle passage bartleby. Leaving from its home port in europe, a typical ship made its first passage to the west coast of africa, trading goods for a full cargo. On equianos middle passage, he shared space belowdecks with other africans from possibly dozens of ethnic groups, speaking different languages. White ships, black cargo by tom feelings dial books, 1995. Once loaded into the ships hold, they were all outsiders. From slavery to freedom to the arduous battle for civil rights, the tenvolume drama of africanamerican history series traces the black american experience from its roots to.
Set in 1830, it presents a personal and historical perspective of the illegal slave trade in the united states, telling the story of rutherford calhoun, a freed slave who unknowingly boards a slave ship bound for africa in order to escape a forced marriage. From the abolitionist campaigners against the slave trade in late eighteenthcentury britain, to modern academic books and to information gathered by supporters for reparations regarding slavery, thousands of pages of evidence and analyses on the middle passage are available both for specialists and the educated public to read and ponder. Visitors to the site learn about frederick douglass efforts to abolish slavery and his struggle for rights for all oppressed people. List of books and articles about middle passage online research. Wesleylogan prize, american historical association aha, 2017. Middle passage national museum of american history. Terror, sex, and sickness in the middle passage, mustakeem discusses something the middle passage in a different light than some other authors. Smallwood offers a penetrating look at the process of enslavement from its african origins through the middle passage and into the american slave market. John hancock, benjamin franklin and george washington, among others. Olaudah equianos firstperson account recalls his terrifying journey as an 11yearold captive aboard a slave ship from africa to barbados in 1756. The voyage from africa to the new world of the americas was called the middle passage. The triangle trade is explained very clearly with a map. The slave trade and the middle passage drama of africanamerican history sharp, s pearl, schomp, virginia on. Black peoples of america the middle passage history.
Jun 03, 20 an animation which explores the slave trade and the journey of the transatlantic voyage. List of books and articles about middle passage online. Feb 27, 20 part 2 on the middle passage in the series sold into slavery, the story of adaku promises an inspiring journey that dwells on friendship and love, of hardships and terror, of betrayals and loyalties, all forged amidst the roar of slavery on the harsh atlantic seas. Slavery has been found among many groups of low material culture, as in the malay peninsula and among some native americans. The tragic history of slavery through the middle passage slave trade full documentary. The middle passage refers to the part of the trade where africans, densely packed onto ships, were transported across the atlantic to the west indies. The african slaves were viewed as cargo by the merchants and were packed into the ships with no regard to their basic human rights. The middle passage is one of the most horrific chapters of all times and has so rightfully been addressed as the african.
430 335 3 965 426 1056 31 1120 78 989 1148 530 1028 1491 1298 284 325 285 316 556 1541 858 394 355 1234 474 110 382 77 13