The Pennsylvania Slave Trade
Inscription
African people, first enslaved by the Dutch and Swedes, survived the brutal voyage from Africa to the Caribbean islands and the Americas, debarking on the Delaware River waterfront as early as 1639. William Penn, other Quakers, and Philadelphia merchants purchased and enslaved Africans. As the institution of slavery increased, these courageous people persevered and performed integral roles in building Pennsylvania and the nation.
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