Africans were not oppressed, exploited, and enslaved because they were black. The emergence of the trans-Atlantic slave trade actually helped create "race," the idea of dividing humanity into hierarchical categories based upon physical appearances.

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The emergence of the trans-Atlantic slave trade played a significant role in creating the concept of race and dividing humanity into hierarchical categories based upon physical appearance. Prior to this, the concept of race as we know it did not exist. Therefore, Africans were not oppressed, exploited, and enslaved solely because they were black, but because the institution of slavery was introduced as a means of economic exploitation and power imbalance.

Africans Were Not Oppressed, Exploited, and Enslaved Because They Were