Glossary
Abolitionist Movement
A social and political movement dedicated to ending slavery, which gained significant momentum and public sympathy through awareness of the horrors of the Middle Passage and acts of resistance.
Example:
The stories of resistance on slave ships, like the Amistad case, provided crucial fuel for the growing Abolitionist Movement in the United States.
African Resistance (on Slave Ships)
The active and varied efforts by enslaved Africans to fight for their freedom and disrupt the slave trade during the Middle Passage.
Example:
Despite overwhelming odds, acts of African Resistance were common, demonstrating the enduring spirit of those fighting for liberation.
Coordinated Revolts
Organized uprisings by enslaved Africans on slave ships, often overcoming language barriers to collectively fight for control of the vessel.
Example:
The fear of coordinated revolts led ship captains to implement harsh security measures, knowing the power of collective action.
Hunger Strikes
A form of protest where enslaved individuals refused to eat, choosing defiance and potential death over forced sustenance and enslavement.
Example:
Facing unimaginable despair, some captives resorted to hunger strikes as a desperate act of agency against their captors.
Jumping Overboard
An act of resistance where enslaved Africans chose death by drowning over a life of bondage, highlighting their profound desperation and desire for freedom.
Example:
The tragic act of jumping overboard symbolized the ultimate rejection of enslavement, even at the cost of life itself.
La Amistad Revolt
A significant 1839 uprising led by Sengbe Pieh, where enslaved Africans successfully took control of the Spanish slave ship *La Amistad* and later won their freedom through a landmark Supreme Court case.
Example:
The La Amistad Revolt became a powerful symbol for the abolitionist cause, demonstrating the inherent right to freedom and the capacity for organized resistance.
Middle Passage
The forced transatlantic voyage that transported enslaved Africans from Africa to the Americas, characterized by extreme brutality and inhumane conditions.
Example:
The harrowing journey of the Middle Passage often lasted for months, with enslaved people packed tightly below deck.
Omission of Anti-Resistance Features
The deliberate exclusion of weapons, nets, and other tools used to suppress revolts from many slave ship diagrams, which obscured the reality of constant resistance and violence.
Example:
The omission of anti-resistance features in historical diagrams often presented a sanitized, incomplete picture of the brutal realities on board slave ships.
Repurposing of Slave Ship Imagery
The act of reinterpreting and utilizing historical slave ship diagrams and related visuals by Black artists and activists to process trauma, honor memory, and symbolize resilience.
Example:
Contemporary artists engage in the repurposing of slave ship imagery to connect the historical trauma of the Middle Passage with ongoing struggles for justice and identity.
Sabotage
Acts of intentional damage to ship equipment or operations by enslaved Africans to disrupt the voyage and assert agency.
Example:
A clever act of sabotage might involve damaging the ship's rigging or contaminating food supplies to hinder the crew.
Sengbe Pieh
The Mende captive who led the successful *La Amistad Revolt* in 1839, galvanizing others to fight for their freedom and becoming a key figure in the subsequent legal battle.
Example:
Sengbe Pieh's leadership and determination were instrumental in the enslaved Africans' successful takeover of the Amistad ship.
Slave Ship Diagrams
Visual representations, often used by enslavers to plan cargo arrangements, that later became powerful tools for abolitionists to expose the inhumane conditions of the Middle Passage.
Example:
The stark reality depicted in slave ship diagrams helped to convey the sheer brutality of the transatlantic slave trade to a wider public.
Systematic Arrangement of Captives
The profit-driven method of packing enslaved Africans tightly into slave ships, prioritizing maximum human cargo over any consideration for their humanity or well-being.
Example:
The systematic arrangement of captives on the Brookes slave ship diagram vividly illustrated the dehumanizing efficiency of the slave trade.
Unsanitary Conditions (on slave ships)
The extremely filthy and cramped environment on slave ships, characterized by poor ventilation, lack of sanitation, and minimal resources, which facilitated the rapid spread of disease.
Example:
The unsanitary conditions below deck were a breeding ground for illness, leading to high mortality rates among the enslaved.
Work Slowdowns & Feigned Illness
Subtle forms of resistance where enslaved individuals deliberately reduced their productivity or pretended to be sick to disrupt daily routines and reclaim some control.
Example:
Even small acts like work slowdowns & feigned illness could frustrate enslavers and subtly challenge their authority on the ship.