Modern SlaveryAugust 8, 1444

In 1442 Pope Eugine IV gives his approval for voyages down the coast of West Africa and to grant Portugal all rights over its discoveries.

Prince Henry the Navigator had sponsored the voyage to capture slaves which included fair-skinned Muslims, mulattos and black Africans taken from West Africa. Upon arrival, he rode up on his powerful horse and took his due of 46 slaves. This was the beginning of the slave traffic or “Black Gold.”

The Slaves picked up in now day Senegal and taken by the ship de Freitas to Lagos, Portugal.

They arrived August 8, 1444 and had been confined in the holds of the small ships. Entire families, men, women and children were to make up this first cargo count of 235.

Gomes Eanes de Azurara recorded the event and remarked “ What heart could be so hard?” Some slaves held their heads low, their eyes filled with tears. They were crying out loud and when they began to separate them into groups, sons from fathers, wives from husbands, and brother from brother more chaos broke out. Mothers grabbed their children covering them on the ground while receiving lashes than let their children be taken from them.