Summary

Harvard historian Henry Louis Gates Jr. sheds light on the lesser-known aspects of slavery, including the role of black slave owners in America and African kingdoms’ involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. He explores the complexity of human complicity in oppression, highlighting free African Americans who owned slaves, fought for the Confederacy, and the ongoing impacts of slavery in Haiti and Africa. His call for honesty about history challenges myths and inspires reflection on human nature and progress.

Public Figure: Henry Louis Gates Jr.

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“A surprisingly high % of the free negroes in the South owned slaves themselves” according to black Harvard history professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Less than 5% of Whites ever owned slaves. It’s estimated 28% of free blacks in America owned slaves. Some Amerindians also took black slaves. Slavery is still rampant in Africa and Haiti today.
Many millions (Whites and blacks) immigrated to USA after the White man ended slavery.

Slavery is still widespread in Haiti today. According to the 2014 Global Slavery Index, Haiti has an estimated 237,700 enslaved persons[78] making it the country with the second-highest prevalence of slavery in the world, behind only Mauritania.[79] Haiti has more human trafficking than any other Central or South American country.[80] According to the United States Department of State 2013 Trafficking in Persons Report, “Haiti is a major source, passage, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex slavery.”[81]