tzaadi

As precursor to determining my genetic, geographic and cultural origins, I have been navigating the online Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade database at http://www.slavevoyages.org for possible insights.

The Voyages Database contains records of nearly 35,000 separate slaving voyages between 1514 and 1866, gleaned from original documents and historical publications located in archives, libraries, and other institutions throughout the world. Each record in the Voyages Database offers information on a single slaving voyage; some of the details include the country of origin, the individual(s) who sponsored it, the voyage itself (its itinerary, dates of travel, and outcome), captains and crew members, slaves transported and the sources providing this voyage information.

Here are a few statistics from principal researcher, David Eltis of Emory University that summarize its scope.

Of the 388,359 slaves shipped from Africa to North America, here is a breakdown of our countries of origin:

Angola – 23.8% (includes St. Helena in the South Atlantic)
Senegambia (Senegal and Gambia including several offshore Atlantic islands) – 23.6%
Nigeria – 16.7%
Sierra Leone – 11.6%
Ghana – 11.6%
Liberia/Ivory Coast – 5.6%
Benin – 2.4%
Mozambique – 2.0% (includes Indian Ocean islands)

Of the 4,412,151 slaves shipped from Africa to the Caribbean (including the Guianas):

Angola – 26.7%
Ghana – 20.1%
Nigeria – 20.0%
Benin – 15.3%
Senegambia – 8.6%
Liberia/Ivory Coast – 4.3%
Sierra Leone – 3.9%
Mozambique – 1.1%

Of the 5,299,182 slaves shipped from Africa to South America (includes what became Mexico):

Angola – 67.4%
Benin – 17.4%
Mozambique – 5.7%
Senegambia – 4.9%
Nigeria – 3.0%
Ghana – 1.2%
Sierra Leone – 0.2%
Liberia/Ivory Coast – 0.1%

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slave trade