Lecture on Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome

Introduction

• Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome: A theory based on research, linking historical trauma of slavery to contemporary society.
• Ambivalence and Reactions: Common reactions include skepticism about the historical impact on present society and accusations of blame.

Comparison with Other Historical Traumas

• Multi-generational Trauma: Parallels drawn with Jewish Holocaust, Aboriginal impacts from colonialism, Japanese internment.
• Resistance to Discussing African Impact: Noted pushback in examining slavery's legacy, questioning the reasons behind this resistance.

Understanding Historical Trauma

• American Chattel Slavery: 246 years from 1619 to the 13th Amendment, followed by continued trauma without healing.
• Impacts on Both Whites and Blacks: Emphasizes that both whites and blacks were affected by the historic trauma of slavery.

Trauma and Its Transmissions

• Trauma Impact: Unlike a single trauma event, slavery was a generational trauma.
• Social Learning Theory: Behaviors and responses to trauma are learned and normalized over generations.

Historical Context

• Three-Fifths Compromise: Slaves counted as three-fifths of a person for representation.
• Richard Oswald: Example of wealth amassed through the slave trade, sanitized history.
• Cognitive Dissonance: How dehumanization of slaves was justified to alleviate cognitive dissonance among whites.

Scientific Justifications and Racism

• Carl von Linnaeus and Johan Friedrich Blumenbach: Their racial classifications and descriptions laid foundations for scientific racism.
• Thomas Jefferson: Statements on black inferiority highlighting cognitive dissonance.

Post-Slavery Impacts

• Sharecropping and Legal Discrimination: Continued economic disenfranchisement through debt servitude and legal exclusion.
• Convict Leasing: Transition from slavery to imprisonment as a means of control and economic gain.

Contemporary Reflections

• Racism and Criminal Justice: Systemic racial biases in policing and justice, described by former police chief Norm Stamper.
• Racially Motivated Violence: Historical lynchings and fear perpetuated through stereotypes and discrimination.

Cultural and Social Dynamics

• Racism Definitions: Distinction between white and black racism based on power dynamics.
• Respect and Identity: Importance of respect in African American communities, as seen in youth violence research.

Conclusion

• Healing and Reconciliation: Emphasizes the need for collective acknowledgment and healing from historical trauma.
• Further Reading and Resources: Mention of "Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome, America's Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing" and other related works.