2. Confinement in Slave Forts and Barracoons
After the harrowing march, captives were confined in slave forts and barracoons—cramped, dark, and unsanitary holding pens along the African coast. Here, hundreds of people were packed together, with little access to fresh air, clean water, or adequate food. Many waited for weeks or even months before a ship arrived. Disease and despair spread rapidly in these miserable conditions, further weakening the captives before their forced journey across the Atlantic.
