The Middle Passage, also known as the Transatlantic Slave Trade, refers to the period of time in which African slaves were transported to and from the Americas in overcrowded and unsanitary ships, typically under inhumane and brutal conditions. It was a traumatic experience for those forced to make the passage, and represents a significant consequence of the violence and exploitation that characterize European colonial expansion in the Americas. The Middle Passage played an integral role in the establishment of slave economies in the Americas and has left an indelible mark on African diasporic cultures.

See also: slave trade, black bodies, white supremacy, intergenerational trauma, black geographies