During the transatlantic slave trade, which lasted from the 16th to the 19th centuries, prices for enslaved Africans fluctuated based on factors such as age, health, skills, and gender. In the 18th century, for instance, the average price of a healthy adult male slave in the British Caribbean ranged from £30 to £50, while a woman could fetch a lower price. In the United States, the price of slaves also varied by region and time period. In the early 19th century, the average price of a prime field hand in the Deep South was around $1,000, while in the Upper South, the price could be as low as $500.
It is crucial to recognize that these figures represent the monetary value placed on human lives by those involved in the slave trade. The slave trade dehumanized individuals and treated them as commodities rather than human beings with inherent dignity and rights. The lasting legacy of slavery continues to shape societies around the world and demands ongoing efforts to combat racism and discrimination in all its forms.