Briefly touched upon, from the 16th century until the end of the 19th century a trade was established involving African captives. Subsequently, slave trade merchants brought the vast majority of enslaved Africans to the Caribbean and Brazil. Out of the unknown large number of enslaved Africans to eventually reach the Western Hemisphere, roughly hundreds of thousands came to North America. This was overshadowed by the vast number of enslaved Africans brought to Spanish Central America, the large number brought to British, French, Dutch, and Danish settlements in the Caribbean, and the substantial amount brought to Brazil. Due to varying accounts, the actual amount of slaves traded is still unknown today. Also, due to the slaves that perished along the journey, it is impossible to give an accurate depiction of the numbers taken from the continent.

The first recorded black settlement was in 1738, when Spanish settlers in Florida formed a town called "Garcia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose" also known as "Fort Mose." Roughly 38 fugitive slaves, most of whom were married, occupied the town.

The first recorded black settlement in Canada, known as Africville, was in 1761 in the province of Nova Scotia. Like most black settlements at the time, Africville was slowly destroyed, as the city appropriated lands from the community to build infrastructure such as slaughterhouses, prison, fertilizer plants and sewage pits.

From 1825 and over a span of three decades, Seneca Village in New York City known today as Central Park, was once founded by, and home to hundreds of  free Black Americans. The predominantly black residents, bought land to build businesses, homes, churches and schools - quickly becoming a booming community. In 1857 the community was burnt down to make room for the famous park.

Honourable Canadian mentions:

Birchtown - founded by Black Loyalists in 1783 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Amherstburg, Ontario - settled by black Veterans after the war of 1812.

Although it is seldom mentioned, and few people have been privy to such information, the Gullah wars are a part of history that everyone should know; the triumphant spirit of the Gullah-Geechee and Seminole people, the fact that many enslaved Africans were not willing participants, and proof that many of those enslaved never gave up on their quest for freedom.

The Gullah war (1739 - 1858) was a rebellion involving former Black captives and Seminole Indians who came together in Florida to gain their freedom. Unlike many former captives who sought liberation in the north via the Underground Railroad, there were those who journeyed to Florida to join the Black and Seminole army. At that time Florida was claimed by Spain who, taking advantage of the wars involving the former plantation captives and the native Seminole tribe, armed and trained the Black and Seminole armies to fight the US army. According to various accounts the Gullah wars were some of the most bloodiest and were the lengthiest military engagement in American history; in which the Gullah army proved to be staunch opposition for over a century. In fact many have stated that the Gullah wars were in actuality the “civil war” which led to the abolishment of slavery in the USA. This because many of the southern plantations were increasingly becoming displeased with being bordered by such an impressive Black and Seminole army, and even US army General Thomas Jesup himself was noted for declaring to his superiors that, “This...is a negro, not an Indian war”, when referring to the Gullah wars.

In 1838 the Black and Seminole army, led by a Black Seminole named John Horse, negotiated a truce with the US government. Subsequently the Black and Seminole army went west to Oklahoma, prior to arriving in Mexico in 1848. 

There were also many rebellions on the ships that held and transported captured Black people from the African continent. During the 1600’s, 1700’s, and 1800’s there were hundreds of rebellions on these human transport ships where brave captives fought in the absence of guns (as depicted in the movie “Amistad”).

SOURCES:

ANTHONY E. DIXON

Florida’s Negro War

Black Seminoles and the Second Seminole war

DR Y.N. KLY

The Invisible War

The African American Anti-Slavery Resistance from the Stono Rebellion through the Seminole Wars

TOLAGBE OGUNLEYE

The Unconquered

The Yamassee and Gullah-Geechee wars

To all those noble people such as Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, and John Brown, as well as the anonymous individuals, both black and white; heroes who also risked their lives helping in the fight for freedom of so many of those who were enslaved, words cannot express the gratitude for these brave souls. They sheltered black americans escaping the bondage of slavery by giving them food and shelter during their perilous journey to freedom. They risked their lives. With this commemorative note we also pay homage for their sacrifice.

Through our triumphs we enrich global history, proving that history itself does not occur in just one month out of an entire year, but every day, every minute, every precious second.

The district of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, also known as "Black Wall Street," was one of the United States of America's most economically active and prosperous majority African-American neighbourhoods. Black Wall Street thrived with success and at its peak housed many prominent African-American Attorneys, Real Estate Agents, Entrepreneurs, and Doctors until their demise in 1921.