In this essay, I will be discussing some of the more prominent aspects of African American History that stands out to me. African History as a total is very interesting but there are key points that stand out more than the others do and show the struggle, hard work, and effort the African American race put forth to reach the point from saying “We shall overcome” to saying “We have overcome”. The key points I will be looking into during the course of this essay are, southern slavery, Civil war years for blacks, and how the reconstruction period affected blacks. Southern Slave Trade In 1834 the Gulf coastal region become known as the land of king cotton. For example the states Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana produced more than 50 percent of the nation’s cotton, with Georgia included the percentile rose to 79 percent. After spread of news got around to other parts of the country migration in the south grew as well as demand for slaves due to increased population of the south. In the states of Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina slave trading took place alongside diverse farming as a fix to the problems of economic adjustment plantation owners faced. After the end of the Atlantic slave trade, trading of slaves become more profitable, this resulted in the value of slave property destroyed due to antislavery movements. Domestic slave trade brought blacks to Virginia to Tennessee, then to Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Throughout the journey slave usually were transported by foot, or by cargo but were always in chains when being transported. While being transported slaves were kept under a watchful eye, any escapes resulted in a reduction of profits. In the early 19th century prices for prime field hands ranged from $350 - $500, later the demand for slaves increased. In 1860 slave prices had hit up to as high as $1,000 - $1,800. To traders, slavery meant profits that ranged from 5 to 30 percent of the sales pri