The Healing Has Begun... U.S. Senate Apologizes For Slavery

Today, we celebrate Juneteenth, a day commemorating the announcement of the abolition of slavery on June 19, 1865. Yesterday, after 144 years, the United States Senate apologized for slavery. With a unanimous vote, America has begun her healing process. For our country will never be able to heal itself without atoning for the sins of our past. We have finally recognized that in order for us to move forward as a people in this beautiful nation, we need to acknowledge the pain that we all have suffered because of slavery. The pain has lasted for the past 144 years, and now with our government taking the right step in apologizing, I know that we can begin to heal. The effects of slavery on our communities have been devastating. The devastation does not stop because of the apology; however these are words that we needed to hear. We all needed to hear. This was a day that many of us have dreamed about for our entire lives. This was a day that many who were at the forefront of this struggle could not enjoy because they are no longer with us. And for those heroes, I go to work every day to make sure that they are never forgotten.

With my newly appointed position as the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for the Permanent Memorial to the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, I vow to work on behalf of our young people to make sure that we never have to feel this sort of pain again. As we all know, slavery and human trafficking exist all around the world, at record numbers. We must remember the past, however we also must work to prevent our mistakes from happening again in the future. I will work even harder in my roles as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, and I urge you all to take a moment to recognize the importance of the actions of the United States Senate. Let the healing continue...

Comments

[Geechie-D]

i have a question that hopefully will be a subject in the news media.
WHAT IF DARFUR WAS TELEVISED? WOULD PEOPLE CARE MORE?

[ruth606]

Got Oil?

[damilitantone]

So many miss the point and make excuses. The fact is that the U.S. Government was complicit in the slave trade and the enslavement of black Americans. Most if not all of the massive governmental structures in DC were built with slave labor. Folks say slavery ended 145 years ago so an apology is pointless. well the country still celebrates the presidency of George Washington which ended more than 200 years ago and no benefits today from anything that George Washington did 200 years ago. Of course most will argue that he was the Father of the Country, the hero of the Revolution, and the first president. If these accomplishments remain relevant in 2009, then the same can be said for the maltreatment of black americans at the hands of the U.S. Government. It can either admit it's culpability or declare that this part of american history doesn't as much and state that the mistreatment of the ancestors of black americans living today is inconsequential and no apology is necessary. Just make it plain one way or another.

[nass77]

I am sorry but I do not see what good this apology of political expediency is going to do. It is just grandstanding by the U.S. Congress, an opportunity to boast that they were the ones that apologized for slavery, 144 years after its abortion in America.
Beyond this apology, what else? Sadly, when talking of slavery, the emphasis is often on those people that arrived in America and were put in bondage. Well, rightly so.
But the devastation that slavery caused to Africa was immense. Families were torn apart, communities obliterated, kingdoms taken down. Slavery did not bring to America from Africa fragile old men and women. NO! It was the most powerful, most productive, intelligent African men and women in their prime.
What the slave masters left behind was a trail of destruction that, up to this day, Africa needs to recover. A few years ago, there was a chorus coming out of Africa calling for reparation to be paid for the evil of slavery. Most people were putting forward ridiculous amounts of money.
But that would be a mistake, paying money. With the greed of African leaders and the corruption out there, the money would disappear. Secondly, you can’t really put a figure to the cost of slavery. Perhaps those who are truly sorry should go to Africa to build schools, hospitals, campaign for foreign direct investment. It falls far short, but its much better than mere words of apology uttered in the U.S. Congress.

[para112]

Look, at some point everyone has been oppressed...and some much longer than 200 years. I am NOT trying to belittle the plight of any person or people. I'm just saying that comparing length of time and degree of oppression is sort of like saying comparing illness...it still sucks and sets you back. That's a gross simplification but you get the idea. I am, however, going to say that as far as trying to make things right, America has done more than the VAST majority of nations (possibly more than any) has towards making things right with minorities­...especia­lly minorities that faced oppression on our shores. I just think that blaming current situations on things that were not experienced by most people living today is a good enough excuse for the current status of a group of people. Drugs, lack of drive, alcoholism, embracing anti-societal values and violence are all choices. Choices made by people who have the ability to get free education, the virtual inability to starve or not have health care (to a degree) and gaining several benefits merely by filling in the 'minority' block on a 'standardized' test or application. It just seems that most people have only themselves to apologize to. The government saying "we're sorry" fixes virtually nothing in my eyes. Actions > words.

[IGNSTHMD]

“We can not treat people individually or in groups, as if they were dependant and domesticable animals without crippling them.” It’s been 132 years since slavery was abolished and black people are still being besieged by the debilitation of assaults to their sovereignty and humanity. In the days of slavery, slaves lived under a host of assumptions: My freedom and my life belong to my master, my place and my task belong to me. Dejection was fed through assumptions that had a blanket effect on self worth: I am to be bought and sold at my owner’s discretion. Repeated attacks on moral and the continued dehumanization of black people have had effects that are discernable even today. The unhealthy application of acceptance is one: inherent in the inability to consistently choose a path that affirms autonomy and circumvents debilitating engagements. Another is where self worth is derived from: attaining things outside of your means gives you a feeling of accomplishment and esteem which can be used to bolster self worth, but fails to address the acknowledgment of what is within yourself which fosters such accomplishment (and other confidences).

[IGNSTHMD]

Pt 2

Today, social work is doing much to support black people, but without a means to vitalize the search for self-determination what was a repose from deprivation creates a league of dependants that have been severed from social strata and the responsibilities that keep self-sufficiency alive. Insufficiency is a heavy burden: inability to find suitable employment, unaffordable housing costs and medical bills, daycare, medication, and grocery expenses. They all remind the individual of his deficiency. “If you tell a man often enough that he is afflicted, he will become afflicted and will adopt the mental and physical attitude befitting that soul-destroying word.” When we talk about empowering people we are talking about helping them come to decisions with a capacity and foresight to choose a decision they can build on not to satisfy some feeling of self-sacrifice or either to undermine their ability to make constructive choices in the future. With purpose and preparedness we can find value in/by knowing what to do next.

[para112]

I'd like to ask, who are these people who call out from the mountain tops that "the black people are oppressed!" or that "the black man is afflicted by such and such"! It's black community 'leaders'...these are wolves in sheep's clothing. If I was to follow your argument , IGNSTHMD, than it would have to be these black leaders who are responsible for modern 'slavery after effects'. The biggest argument against the "we feel so sorry for ourselves becuase of what happened a century and a half ago" crowd is successful black men and wome in finance, business, military, and political sectors of which there are many as I've stated. So, as far as what you've said, it sounds like the only thing that holds back the black community is the black community. Look to the good examples that have been set...don't wallow in past, don't forget it either, but dont' be mired and limited by it. You are as limited as you ALLOW yourself to be. This is true and you simply can't argue that point. Too many success stories from worse situations have been documented to refute that. Just some food for though.

[Geechie-D]

I apologize to my ancestors for taking total advantage of the opportunity we now have in this country
revised: I apologize to my ancestors for NOT taking total advantage of the opportunity we now have in this country

[Geechie-D]

Para112, unlike the Asians, Irish etc., black peoples oppression lasted 100+ years longer. The Asians and all others did not have to watch as their child was sold on an auction block. They did not have to worry about seeing their young daughter being sold to strange men. Asians, Irish, Jews, etc. kept their names, language, religion and celebrated their culture. Black people lost EVERYTHING! if one really study what was done to them (black people), they will be amazed at how far black people have came. we are the richest black people in the world. however, that does not mean that we are at the mountain top.
An apology does not change everything over night. as I've said, change must come from those who were oppressed. I will say that I apologize to my people for doing nothing about kids dropping out of school. I apologize for allowing my brothers to sell drugs to our beautiful sisters. I apologize for allowing gangs to take a mothers child from her life. I apologize to our women and children for not being fathers. I apologize to my ancestors for taking total advantage of the opportunity we now have in this country. I apologize for allowing ourselves to be divided by those who hates us. if all can offer from this day on is advice to the next generation, I will not let fear stop me, nor will I let myself stop me.

[Whitley2009]

Let me remind you of the 100,000 Irish children taken from Ireland and sold to the slave trades of St. Kitts in the Caribbean. Their parents never saw them again.

[para112]

Just to clear it up, I am absolutely fine with the fact that there was an apology...it's nice and probably right. But what I DO have a problem with is that it is being heralded as 'THE HEALING STARTS NOW!" and it's not that at all. Not to burst everyone's bubble or anything, but there are big changes that have to be made and have BEEN in the process of being made for decades now. We have more equality within our nation than the majority of nations in the world. But the announcement, in actuality, changes nothing or at most very very little. I'm sure no one lay awake at night waiting for this thing to come out...and if they did, well, sorry to disappoint with the anti-climax. The next morning, the same problems are there, and they will be fixed at the same rate that they would have if the apology hadn't been made. But to lionize this in such a way is just to confirm a social weakness that people need to be coddled. A century ago, no one would have expected something like this. Yet you have Asians (who were treated badly when they came to the US and during WWII), the Irish (who were treated horribly and had to fight and scratch for every achievement they made), and others who overcame with no apologies necessary. The time for healing has always been...you're way behind the power curve if you think it's now.

[Geechie-D]

we need is to wake up to what has been done to us and teach the next generation so they don't repeat. EVERYONE else can look back at their history and learn. when it comes to black people, they say that we need to get over the past. some of us don't teach our kids about our past because we either don't know, or we don't want our child to hate. but when it comes to Jews, everyone understands why they teach their young about the Jewish holocaust. this has a direct effect on Jews success and it makes them say NEVER AGAIN!

[para112]

When in popular culture in the last 30 years has there NOT been an apology from the American people? Between books, movies, and Black History Month and even labeling the Civil War's main root cause as 'slavery', it seems that there is a lot of shame in regards to the past. I was only referring to slavery in the last message by the way, but I will go on to deal with Civil Rights...correct me if I'm wrong, weren't those Jim Crow laws and all of the other separate but equal mandates reversed? In more than 30 years, a generation has had the time and ability to overcome the past and many have. No official apology 144 years later is needed. There has been an attempt at equalization within this country's psyche for several decades now. Some would say that many methods are unfair to those who are not black. And in regards to never happening again, besides human trafficking I know of no slavery in America or any pro-slavery movements that could arise again in the future. Antisemitism has hounded the Jewish people for THOUSANDS of years and they've overcome this with no apologies. We give people so many crutches to use and excuses to implement these days. People need to stand up and learn from the past, not rely on it...they should look to the examples that are there (and they are plentiful) and aspire to achieve...not wait for and rely on politician's words.

[Geechie-D]

Para112, a healing process in this case means that once a nation apologize for the wrong it has imposed on a particular group, then more steps can be taken to uplift that group. as soon as slavery was over, black people were taxed. after being taxed, black people had to deal with Jim Crow laws. during the Jim Crow years black people had to deal with the lynching years. if you look at American history, you will find that black people NEVER got a 100% chance to uplift themselves. NOTHING was paid to those who died on the battle field and in the cotton fields.
As of now there are many who see black people as govt. beggars and welfare recipients. they either don't know or forget that black people have been in bondage longer than they have been free in this country. the mistake people also make is looking at the success of black people in America. Because no other race would have survived what we've survived, people think that we as black people have always had the opportunity to be successful in this country.

[para112]

I'm glad that the black community could hold its collective breath that long, otherwise they wouldn't be able to start succeeding or progressing in society. I'm sure that Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, and, dare I even mention it, the President are all outliers. Or what about E. Stanley O'Neal, or Ken Chenault, or John Thompson? Those weren't successes or part of the healing process? You said it started on the 19th of June...of 2009.
This show shouldn't be used as a crutch. The ability to heal and overcome from trauma and wrong doing comes from the INDIVIDUAL. It does not come from the politically correct and attuned Senate. That is just another form of slavery, letting someone else control what you do or how you act. I know many successful black men and women that I have had the pleasure of working with and they would take offense at this statement that now they can start healing...they started healing the day they said that they wouldn't let the past define them. A past, by the way, that neither them nor their grandparents and great grandparents ever knew (if you're speaking directly about the institution of slavery).
I can't wait for Rome to come out with an apology for what the Romans did to the Christians by the thousands back around 100AD. Live Christian torches for the party tonight, anyone? No thanks, I don't need an apology. I'll go ahead and determine my own success and need for healing.

[IGNSTHMD]

are you black?

[Geechie-D]

As far as the apology, I guess it's best (or politically correct) to say thanks. However the much needed apology should come from African Americans. We need to apologize to each other for the number of black on black crime. We need to apologize to our ancestors for not taking advantage of the FREE education that was not granted to them. We need to look in the mirror and apologize (if it applies) to our won self for not living up to our full potential.
Slavery and Jim Crow robbed the world of some of the greatest minds. As a country alone we should be at least 100yrs more advanced. But, if one man always has the right to live up to his full potential, it makes him look smarter or superior to the other man. indirectly, this has a negative effect on both. The man who thinks he is superior ends up having a false impression upon himself, and when things don't go his/her way, they can't handle it. for the other man who indirectly thinks he is inferior, he will accept his condition of poverty, low education, and poor housing. Any man regardless of color has a gift to give to this world. If a single ant plays a roll in making this world go around, imagine the roll God gave each man. so before we as black people look for any more apologies, we should look at our brothers and sisters and say.......I'M SORRY!

[IGNSTHMD]

black on black violence is a learned phenomenon. it was that violence as conflict resolution was handed down to blacks as part of their double conciousness. it is something like I know what is right and police beating me isn't right so I have to act like what is right is wrong or rather like what is wrong is right. Think about it, where did blacks assimilate a peragotive of violence? I would consider police brutality.

http://www.blackcommentator.com/165/165_radio_bc/01_05_06_radio_bc_black_on_black_crime.html

[magestyx]

I've never heard such senselessness-- a 'learned phenomenon' blamed on the police? To prove this excuse true, you could always show how Africa as a whole has such a low crime rate, tribal warfare is unknown, and the people there generally get along because there's hardly ever a black hurting a black-- oh, wait, you can't because that's total BS. I'm not dismissing for a second the crimes that the police committed, but reasoning like this is nothing more than a fancy excuse.

Throughout history, people of all skin colors have done unspeakable crimes to people of all skin colors, including their own. There are always reasons, but no matter how complicated it's still inexcusable. Just call it what it is and stop blaming 'the other guy'!

[IGNSTHMD]

minus the jim crow, lynchings and malfeasance crime in the boomer era was quaint, if I may assume, and much less violent. my guess is that first hand gun crime rose and then police responded with excessive force. this escalation of violence has not been curbed as we see it directed at brown and black and poor people indescriminately today. police perpetrate the violence that feeds the rituals of bellum malus that is capped by horizontal violence as per the article above.


http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1366394/why_police_violence_kills_people_like.html

people don't shift from a stance of accommodation and tenament to aggression and retrobution without a cause or catalyst.

[nerakami]

Russell,
when are you going to apologize and make amends for the countless young minds you have brain washed with negative, self-destructive images and beliefs about themselves. I fear you are far more relevant in healing your own karma, with the way made millions... at the expense of many young black youths - poisoning their minds...

[Whitley2009]

I have really enjoyed commenting on Russell's blog, and before it ends I would like to ask one thing. When was the last time any of you petitioners for apologies rushed Congress' doors demanding that the EXISTING SLAVE TRADE in the USA be abolished?

About 50,000 women of all races are brought to America each year as sex slaves. They are forced into constant and dangerous prostitution. I'll bet a dollar to a donut that some of you "real men" petitioners crying for freedom and apologies herein would be the first to take advantage of these poor women if given the chance.

These women arrive in the U.S., and they are stripped of their legal papers and identity. They don't speak English. They live in crude and unhealthy rooms. They are helpless. They are usually held as prisoners by armed organized criminals that "own" them. Many of them die and are never heard from again. These criminal slave masters are Asian, black, Latino and white men.

I would like to hear from both our men and women bloggers on this point.

[AnotherTry]

The Europeans took away the African Gods and gave instead a Christian God. Now, ironically, an African-American President sites that Christian God as his reason to deny gay Americans civil rights. My, how the tables have turned.

[joe757]

Can you give me that citation?

[AnotherTry]

"God is in the mix." - Candidate Obama when asked about his support for civil unions over marriage equality.

[Muad Dib]

The weasling one will do to get out of paying what is owed to their endentured servants. Let's see where I shoud start, I hear a lot of people saying why should I pay for the sins of dead slave owners. First of all, the fleecing of African Americans didn't not stop with the slave owners. Trust me, we hear the enlightened things they say on a daily basis. See, the apology in a lot of ways is disingenous. There are a lot of reasons way, but I'll hold your hand and lead you to just a few.

You have a problem with the old dead slave owner analogy. Telling half the story, doesn't make it true. So I ask you, where did the money from their ill-gotten gains go? Surely, it must have evaporated into this ficitious abyss you keep referring to. I'll help you here. The principal benefactor of slavery, in all its variations, was the government. This is the same institution that was suppose to facilitate the black man's FULL intergration into the business world. With that said, let's see how far we have come with this government mandate. Keep in mind, this was done to motivate businesses to "do the right thing" for our people. Take a long hard look at the numbers of black people that are represented in the upper management of the major businesses today. If black people are truly equal, why are they not represented in 2009 business.