Enslaved Peoples in African Societies Before the Transatlantic Slave Trade

Slave memorial in Zanzibar

Slavery in Africa originated as the rewards of war and a punishment for criminals. People were not commonly born into slavery. Unlike in the Americas, Slavery was not automatically passed from parents to children. People enslaved in African societies often gained freedom before the end of their lives. At times they even became equal family members with those who once enslaved them.

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African Peoples Before Captivity

African Peoples Before Captivity Introduction   Mama Africa is the birthplace of the human race; we are all her children. Americans often speak of the huge continent of Africa as if it were a single country. In fact, like Europeans of the same era, Africans created great civilizations that made early, important, lasting contributions to…

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