Domestic Slave Trade

The domestic slave trade was the internal buying and selling of enslaved people within the United States, primarily during the 18th and 19th centuries. It involved relocating enslaved individuals from northern areas with declining slavery or changing economies to southern regions where demand for labor on plantations was high. This trade increased the separation of families and exploited vulnerable individuals for economic gain. It was a brutal aspect of American history that reinforced racial slavery and contributed to systemic injustice and suffering nationwide.