He knew he would never see them again and that he would be forced to start over, in a new personal hell. Hayden observed, "no mother's smile has been decreed to welcome me - no motherly word to soothe my sorrows, no kind and long-known home to give me sustenance and rest - nothing but the rattling chains of slavery - the roof of a stranger, and my sad reflections were addressed to me disturbing historical period, the interstate slave trade lasted almost 70 years and during this time countless families were torn apart and human beings were sold. as cattle for a pittance. background of the business and the way the slaves were held captive before the auction was an abomination to those who did not operate on the business side of the trend only African Americans had to endure this permanent servitude towards their Caucasian counterparts, but also the abuse and deprivation of fundamental human rights directly linked to their condition.