From the things I never knew department, these shocking numbers.
A. 11 million Africans were transported across the Atlantic during the days of the slave trade. 95% went to South and Central America, only 5% of the slaves went to the United States.
B. At least 28 million Africans were enslaved in the Muslim Middle East. At least 80% of those captured by Muslim slave traders were estimated to have died in treks across the desert. The death toll from 14 centuries of Muslim slave traded into Africa could have been over 112 million. Add that toll to the number sold in slave markets and the total number of victims of the Trans Saharan and East African slave trade could be higher than 140 million people!
This must be one of history's best kept secrets.
From The scourge of slavery, the rest of the story which was highly recommended by Joe Katzman at Winds of Change.
Katzman points out that in the U.S, we had the great fortune of the 18 and 19th century Abolitionists. Just a few dedicated people, inspired by their Christian faith, opposed slavery, crusaded against it and changed the world.
No such abolitionists arose in the Muslim world where slavery still exists in many places, albeit secretly. In my hometown, a suburb of Boston, the wife of a Saudi prince was arrested earlier this year for keeping slaves!
Posted by Jill Fallon at July 22, 2005 12:51 PM | Permalink