1652-1851: New Calabar served as the leading embarkation center for captives in the Bight of Biafra slaving region throughout the late seventeenth century.

1652-1851: New Calabar served as the leading embarkation center for captives in the Bight of Biafra slaving region throughout the late seventeenth century. Although it was later eclipsed by the rapid growth of Old Calabar and Bonny, it remained a significant hub for British vessels. A large proportion of the individuals taken from New Calabar were transported to Caribbean islands that came under British rule between 1763 and 1807. The port’s involvement in the slave traffic saw a rapid decline following the official British withdrawal from the trade in the early nineteenth century.