During the middle passage, Africans were subjected to unimaginable cruelty and brutal treatment. They were packed like cargo into overcrowded, unsanitary ships with little to no ventilation, causing widespread illness and death. Many Africans died from diseases such as smallpox, measles, and dysentery, which spread rapidly in the confined spaces.
The enslaved Africans were often shackled together, stripped of their dignity and identity, and subjected to physical and psychological abuse by the crew members. They were denied adequate food, water, and medical care, and those who resisted or attempted to escape were often punished severely.
The journey across the Atlantic could last for several months, and the mortality rate was staggeringly high. It is estimated that up to 2 million Africans lost their lives during the middle passage, making it one of the darkest and most inhumane chapters in human history.
For the Africans who survived, the middle passage left a lasting impact on their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It was a journey that symbolized their dehumanization and the trauma they endured as victims of the transatlantic slave trade.