During the transatlantic slave trade, the slaves from the region of the Congo (which includes present-day Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Republic of Congo) were primarily sourced from the interior regions of the Congo Basin, as well as from other parts of West Central Africa. Slavery was a longstanding practice in many African societies, but the transatlantic slave trade significantly increased the demand for slaves from this region, as they were considered strong and resistant to diseases.
The capture and sale of slaves in the Congo region was carried out by African traders, who would raid neighboring communities and capture people to be sold to European slave traders. The slaves were then transported to the coast, where they were held in slave ports before being loaded onto ships bound for the Americas.
It is estimated that between the 16th and 19th centuries, millions of Africans were forcibly transported across the Atlantic as part of the transatlantic slave trade. The majority of these slaves came from West and West Central Africa, including the Congo region. The slave trade had a devastating impact on the people and societies of the region, leading to the loss of countless lives, the disruption of communities, and the erasure of cultural practices and traditions.