1659: The French established St.-Louis as a fortified trading post at the mouth of the Sénégal River to command the region’s commerce and slave embarkations.

1659: The French established St.-Louis as a fortified trading post at the mouth of the Sénégal River to command the region’s commerce and slave embarkations. While the French were the primary carriers for most of the port’s history, a significant British presence was established between 1759 and 1779 after the fort was lost during the Seven Years’ War. Captives from this region were overwhelmingly transported to French America, with a high concentration specifically destined for the plantation economy of Saint-Domingue. Following the return of the settlement to French control in 1779, American slave vessels also began to engage in trade at this strategic location.