The story of the transatlantic slave trade is one of the most harrowing and deeply entrenched narratives in the history of humanity. Yet, as we delve deeper into this history, a troubling question arises: What happened to the slave ships? These vessels, which supposedly transported millions of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic, seem to have vanished into the fog of history, leaving behind only diagrams and replicas that fail to capture the full scope of their grim purpose.
Queen Vallahra Bey, in her thought-provoking lecture "Myth of Slavery Pt1 of 3," challenges the conventional narrative by asking us to reconsider what we think we know about these infamous ships. The commonly accepted story of slavery, often beginning with the Civil Rights Movement and figures like Rosa Parks, neglects to address the complexities and inconsistencies surrounding the logistics of the transatlantic slave trade. Where are the ships? Why are there no life-size replicas that can give us a tangible sense of their size, their conditions, their reality?
One must consider the logistics of a months-long journey across the Atlantic, powered solely by wind and current. The Atlantic Ocean is not a calm pond but a vast and often treacherous expanse. How, then, could these wooden vessels, laden with human cargo, make such a perilous journey without modern navigational tools, engines, or sufficient supplies?
The conditions on these ships, as described in the Slave Trade Act of 1788, were abysmal—one slave per ton of ship, crammed into spaces barely five feet high and four feet wide. And yet, the story we are told seems to gloss over the sheer impossibility of such a journey being repeated millions of times without leaving more substantial evidence in its wake.
The term "ship" itself might be misleading. The vessels used in the slave trade were more akin to boats than the grand ships of European navies. The distinction is not just semantic but crucial in understanding the scale and feasibility of these journeys. Boats, subject to the whims of the sea and the limits of their design, would have struggled mightily to cross the Atlantic in the numbers suggested by historical records. Where, then, are these boats? Where are the comprehensive documentaries exploring the front end of slavery—the logistics, the construction, the voyages themselves?
Queen Vallahra Bey prompts us to consider the significance of the term "unveil" as opposed to "reveal." To reveal is to bring something hidden into the light; to unveil is to remove the layers of falsehoods and half-truths that have obscured the truth. The slave trade, as it is traditionally taught, has been wrapped in a narrative that may not fully withstand scrutiny when we start to question the physical realities of these voyages. The maps, the ships, the logistics—all of these elements beg for a closer examination, one that moves beyond diagrams and into the realm of tangible evidence.
The narrative we’ve been given, one that paints a picture of "millions of Africans" transported across the sea like cattle, requires us to suspend disbelief to a certain extent. But why? Why must we accept this version of events without asking harder questions? Questions about the feasibility of these voyages, the construction of these boats, the absence of concrete evidence, and the lack of comprehensive documentation on the logistics of the trade.
Consider the African continent and the Americas—North, South, and Central—home to diverse and vibrant cultures long before European contact. The story of "discovery," where Columbus mistakenly identified the Americas as India, only serves to highlight the layers of misrepresentation that have clouded our understanding of history. Labels like "Native American" or "Black" reduce complex identities to simplistic terms that mute the true diversity and depth of these communities.
We must also confront the economic aspects of the slave trade, particularly the role of institutions like Lloyd’s of London, which insured these voyages. How did they manage to insure such treacherous journeys? What were the contingencies for the inevitable loss of life, the spoilage of food, the lack of fresh water, and the rampant disease? If the objective was to sell slaves, as is commonly stated, the death of slaves during the journey would represent a catastrophic financial loss. How, then, did these voyages continue, and at what human cost?
The logistics of maintaining a ship full of enslaved people for months on end are daunting. Food and water would have been scarce, refrigeration non-existent, and the risk of disease ever-present. The harsh reality is that if these journeys were as frequent and as vast as history suggests, there would be more than just diagrams and scattered remnants to testify to their existence.
In re-examining the history of the slave trade, we must move beyond accepting established narratives at face value. We must seek to "unveil" the truth, to peel back the layers of myth and misconception, and to confront the uncomfortable questions that have been ignored for too long.
The absence of concrete evidence, the logistical impossibilities, and the economic realities all point to a story that may be far more complex—and far less clear—than the one we have been told.
What happened to the slave ships?
Perhaps the answer lies not just in the past, but in our willingness to challenge the present narrative. It is time to seek the truth, to demand more than just the stories we have been given, and to acknowledge that history, like the ocean itself, is vast, deep, and full of hidden currents waiting to be explored.
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