slavery: its crippling legacy

In 1492, Christopher Columbus made the historic voyage to the Americas. His excursion heralded a new, two-way traffic between Europe and the Americas. Across the eastern and western halves of the world, a large-scale movement occurred—a major transfer of plants and animals, as well as people and diseases. Named after the legendary voyager, the Columbian Exchange produced lasting effects which still reverberate today. A chief component of this exchange was the slave trade. Although this brutal human commerce was outlawed over 150 years ago, the inherent racism that fueled this system can still be felt today. Freed slaves suffered much emotional and psychological damage, which they passed down through the generations. Their feelings gave rise to a lot of resentment, anger, and pain felt within the black community today. Though not forced to toil long hours under the hot sun and the brandishing whip of an overseer, blacks still suffer in other ways. For instance, the poor housing, lack of employment opportunities, and the inadequate health care and education that many blacks cope with today are due to the fact that they have had to play catch-up, as they had been denied certain opportunities that were always available to those of the white race. Moreover, the enslavement of blacks by people who considered them inferior greatly diminished their self-worth, causing them to view themselves in the same light of inferiority. This lack of self-esteem then results in self-destructive behavior—as well as a serious doubt of their complete acceptance as equal members of society. The rampant crime rate that is spiraling out of control in America’s inner-city neighborhoods, the drug abuse and single parent homes, and the high abortion rate in the black community have all led to the breakdown of the black American family. These present unfortunate conditions of many blacks are all part of the crippling legacy of the original institution of slavery, the haunting effects of which rebound to this day.