There are issues in America so complex that the average person tends to avoid any debate rather than admit they do not have answers. The new millennium has created an environment that suppresses many healthy discussions in order to remain “PC”, or politically correct.

However, as Americans, we have a strong heritage of lively debate and facing the hard issues to ensure the welfare of our citizens. In many ways, we stand as one nation when faced with incredible tragedies like September 11, but at the same time, we are still facing ethnic divides that seem insurmountable.

Without a doubt, the biggest blight on our history is slavery. For most Whites, the shame of this period in our history continues, while many Blacks still feel oppressed and angry. Not surprisingly, most discussions today are taking place within the Black community, although electing our first Black President has broadened the commentary on the issue. Does slavery continue to affect our culture today?

Slavery ended in 1865, followed by reconstruction, which ended in 1877. Freed slaves, who had spent there lives being told what to do and were conditioned to react rather than initiate thought, were left to their own devices to face “freedom”.  African American scholar Michael Eric Dyson states, “The effect of slavery continues to exert its brutal influence in the untold sufferings of millions of everyday folk”. He continues by saying that slavery is responsible for the high level of black residential separation from Whites today.

In “The Ethnic Myth”, Stephen Steinberg writes, “ghettos are nothing less than the shameful residue of slavery.” Many scholars blame slavery for the pathologies in the Black community such as homelessness, single-parent households, and youth violence. Views that are more radical claim, “Slavery is a constant reminder of what whites in America might do.”  There is a belief that slavery stole their African culture.

While these arguments have merit, there are equally strong arguments that say that the opposite is true and camaraderie is a direct result of slavery. This segment of the population argues that African heritage was passed on, through the generations as one form of rebellion against the oppression brought on by slavery. These scholars would say that the Black culture today is a blend of African and European influences compiled with the adaptations necessitated by slavery resulting in a rich culture of religion, music, family, and art. It is a fact that African American culture has influenced White culture in many ways.

Adapting as a means of survival continues today. One example is the onset of small, private schools in black communities to address the failings of  public education. Interestingly, successful Blacks have a harder stance to their brethren. Dr. Heather Williams, of the University of North Carolina Ethnic Studies, states, “the Black community continues to blame every problem that we identify among Black people in America, to slavery.”

It cannot be disputed that slavery has affected our culture today, both Black and White. The dispute remains on defining that effect and how to address this issue. Although 145 years may seem like a long time, our Country is young and the passage of time will usher in change, as it historically does. We can hope that all Americans continue to discuss and work towards a future without oppression.