African Slavery - a historic perspective

I've been conducting a bit of research into the historic background of African slavery. What I have discovered has been enlightening.

First of all, slavery of Africans is not the "whiteman's invention". Slavery is a creation of the human family. The word "slavery" in fact has as its root the word "Slav", from the Slavic peoples of eastern Europe. In Africa it dates back many centuries, back to sub-Sharan roots. While there was some slave trade dating back to the Nile River, the transportation of huge numbers did not occur until camels were introduced in the 10th century. Arab traders began large scale trade in human slaves after that.

The author of book "The Legacy of Arab Islam in Africa" claims that there where about 11 million Africans transported across the Atlantic, of which about 10% died in the crossing. (1.1 million). 95% were sent to the Carribean and South America. That means that only about 650,000 were imported to North America. 2/3 of these were men, being imported to work as laborers in primarily agricultural or mining industries. Slaves often were purchased in West African regions known to Europeans as the Slave Coast, Gold Coast and Cote d'Ivorie (Ivory Coast). Often these slaves were captured and sold into slavery as a direct result of wars between powerful African empires and their Kings, such as those on the Bight of Biafra who traded them to Europeans in exchange for firearms, rum, fabrics and seed grain. Over a period of time several West African empires were established, principally the Mali, Ghana and the Songhai Empires. As black on black slavery was commonly employed in the building of these empires, it has deep historic roots.

In sub-Saharan Africa about 28 million survived and where sold into slavery. The cross Saharan trek was very harsh, it had an estimated 80 to 90% mortality rate. By the time it finally offically ended, the over 1,400 years of its history anywhere from 112 to 140 million Africans died while in transport to slave markets.

The high mortality rate can be somewhat explained by the fact that Arab traders preferred women. In direct contrast to the trans-Atlantic trade about 2/3 of the slaves where female, destined to work as chambermaids for the women of harems. If any became pregnant and gave birth, their children were often immediately killed. Men were either impressed into military service or used as eunochs. As the Arabs thought African men had an insatible sex drive, they were often castrated.

Their attitude towards Africans is well expressed in the thought that Negros made good slaves because they were quite submissive, possessing attributes similiar to animals.

As this posting has become a bit long I'll end here. Suffice to say that while European import of African slaves was quite horrendous in its impact on human lives, it is by no means the whiteman's invention. This is "the splinter in the eye" African-Americans need to address and overcome. Please do no construe my remarks to in any way excuse the brutality of the slave trade in America. These wounds do very much cry out for healing. Let progressive Christians play a large role in the healing proess.