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Social and Cultural Identity Withstands Discrimination Captivation of a group normally leads to similar characteristics and behavior of that group. This statement is evident for Africans and their descendants who were subjected to slavery for over three hundred years. The article, ‘The First Passage’ speaks of these Africans who were exploited by Europeans and how they came to develop and sustain various cultural and social forms. The way the Africans were perceived by others made it difficult for them to maintain some form of identity, however they had for themselves their own beliefs and this was the basis of their individuality. Many persons are inclined by nature to associate with others of the same type. Africans had no choice but to do just this because of the racial and class divisions imposed on them by the Spaniards and the Portuguese. Africans in particular, were set far apart from others in the society and were considered the lowest rank out of Whites , mestizos, mulattoes and the Indians. The Africans then had their own main principal groups, with the main distinction based on place of birth. The first group , the ladinos, were born in Africa but spent time in Europe before they were transported to th