Introduction The significance of slave trade beginning in the Americas at Santo Domingo is that Santo Domingo became official center for exploration, organization for the conquest of other regions and capture of slaves who were later transported to the Americas to provide labor in sugarcane plantations (Spielvogel 426). According to Spielvogel, the discovery of the Americas in 1490s and the growth of sugar plantations in South America and the Caribbean are significant factors which drastically changed the destination of slaves i.e. the destination of slaves changed from Middle Eastern Regions and European Nations to the Americas where they worked in sugarcane plantations (426). Therefore, Spielvogel asserts that slave trade in the Americas flourished, as small American and Indian populations were converted into slaves who provided labor in sugarcane plantations. In addition, the Americas played a significant role in slave trade at the height of the transatlantic slave trade in the eighteenth century, which saw black slaves being transported by cargo ships from the West African coast to the Americas to provide labor (428). Towards the end of the fifteenth century, sugarcane plantations were set up by Portuguese off the coast of central Africa. Later in the sixteenth century, the use of slaves in sugarcane plantations further spread from the Americas to the Caribbean and Eastern Brazilian Coast where sugarcane plantations were widely grown (Spielvogel 424-428). According to Luciano, Santo Domingo, (now the capital city of the Dominican Republic), is one of the oldest American-European settlements founded in 1498 by Bartholomew Columbus. The city has had a crucial role to play, especially in the history of slave trade and slavery, being called the “oldest city in the Americas” (Minster par.1-3). Santo Domingo’s history is fascinating because of historical events such as pirate victimization, dictatorship and slave activities. The first settlement in Santo Domingo (Navidad) which fell to the anger of natives was made up of sailors left behind by Columbus’ first voyage after the sinking of one of his ships (Minster 1-3). In his analysis of the ‘slave trade from the Caribbean and Latin America from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century’, Luciano traces Santo Domingo among significant centers where the trade in African slaves began (83-89). During this period, many Negro slaves were introduced into Spain from the West-African Coast. The discoveries and encouragements by the Portuguese to “black birding expeditions” at the end of the fifteenth century led to the slave trade which later took negroes captured in Africa to territories which were discovered by Christopher Columbus (the Americas) (Luciano 54-58). According to Luciano, the above occurrence gave a marked impetus to slavery and slave trade; hence, African slaves were required to exploit the wealth in the discovered territories of the Caribbean and Americas which benefited colonizers. Luciano also perceives that it is at this time, especially before the end of the fifteenth century, that Negro slaves began to arrive at Hispaniola, the Island of Quisqeya, which later became Santo Domingo. The slaves are traced to have come from abundant reserves located in Portugal and Andalusia. However, as early as 1501,