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Middle Passage
noun
: the forced voyage of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas
Examples of Middle Passage in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Great Britain and colonial slavery Starting in the 1660s, Great Britain brutally transported about 3.4 million Africans to be enslaved in the Americas – with about half a million dying during the harrowing journey known as the Middle Passage.
—Devoney Looser, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2024
The improvisational elements of jazz can be traced to the Middle Passage from Africa to the Americas, where slaves shackled to the bottoms of ships invented songs, according to Mr. Rabaka.
—Ryan Doan-Nguyen and Aaron Morrison, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2024
From the callous perspectives of enslavers and their investors, sheathing increased slavery profits by reducing deaths on the Middle Passage.
—Corinne Fowler / Made By History, TIME, 17 June 2024
Glimpses into the Middle Passage are close-up and stomach-turning.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for Middle Passage
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Middle Passage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1788, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near Middle Passage
Cite this Entry
“Middle Passage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Middle%20Passage. Accessed 17 Sep. 2024.
Kids Definition
Middle Passage
noun
: the forced voyage of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas
More from Merriam-Webster on Middle Passage
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Middle Passage
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