USCIS 128:75. What group of people was taken and sold as slaves?

OpenAI. (2026). What group of people was taken and sold as slaves?  [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

In early American history, many Africans, or people from Africa, were taken from their homes and brought to America as slaves. They did not choose to come. 

These Africans became a part of the transatlantic slave trade. They were taken across the ocean in very difficult and dangerous conditions. Many people became sick or died during the journey. Those who survived were sold and forced to work without pay or freedom.

In 1619, a group of Africans arrived in the English colony of Virginia. This event is often used to mark the beginning of African American history in what became the United States. Over time, laws made slavery permanent and inherited. This means children of enslaved people were also born into slavery.

In America, enslaved Africans worked on farms, especially on large plantations growing crops like tobacco and cotton. Their labor helped build the early American economy. They were treated unfairly and did not have basic rights.

Even in these difficult conditions, enslaved people created families, communities, and cultural traditions. Their strength and contributions are an important part of American history.