The tragic transatlantic slave trade, which marked one of the darkest chapters in human history, lasted for 400 years, despite a spirited resistance by the millions of enslaved peoples, which began from the beginning of that brutal system. Many vulnerable communities devised astute defensive strategies, including protective walls and fortresses and the abandonment of villages that were hard to defend.

This is an excerpt of the official information provided by the United Nations. To view the full text, click here.