The following is Blog post number forty-one and is part of the ongoing Racial Reconciliation in America Series. It is entitled:

The Residue of Slavery is yet with us!

RACIAL RECONCILIATION

THE RESIDUE OF SLAVERY

IS YET WITH US!

["There must doubtless be an unhappy influence on the manners of our people produced by the existence of slavery among us. The whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous passions, the most unremitting despotism on the one part, and degrading submissions on the other. Our children see this, and learn to imitate it; for man is an imitative animal. This quality is the germ of all education in him. From his cradle to his grave he is learning to do what he sees others do……With the morals of the people, their industry also is destroyed. For in a warm climate, no man will labour for himself who can make another labour for him. This is so true, that of the proprietors of slaves a very small proportion indeed are ever seen to labour." “The Works of Thomas Jefferson,” Federal Edition, Editor: Paul Leicester Ford, (New York and London, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1904-5) Volume 4]

Amazing it is the truth of these words. What do these 140 words tell us? These are the words concerning Slavery, as spoken by our Founding Father one President Thomas Jefferson; himself an owner of 223 slaves when he died. As we continue into our Racial Reconciliation in America Movement it is impossible to leave behind the impact of Slavery upon America. Though we so desire to leave it behind! We can not wait to speak on the positives for we see a bright future in race relations if only we can get there. That future is in the capable hands of our young folk.

But for now, why is it impossible to leave Slavery behind? Simply because it was Slavery from 1619 onward, which establishes the predicate for where we remain in 2014, a nation in the bondage of race based division. Slavery is what establishes our current divisions; Slavery in America is what has never been reconciled. That which sustained Slavery is what yet sustains our inability to reach comity among Black and White folk. Slavery was sustained by the following:

■White male dominance of capital and finance,

■White male dominance of education, information and  communications,

■White male dominance of State and Federal political processes, and

■The White male’s dominance in law and the implementation of justice.

Historically, with and through these four structures and resources, control over Black folk and women is yet sustained throughout America.

These forces and structures represent the embodiment of White power; it is the manner of using his power from the beginning up to now that has resulted in his own bondage.

Referring to his own folk our Honorable President Thomas Jefferson said that Slavery was producing: “an unhappy influence on the manners of our people.” Whatever one thinks of this very conflicted and in our view an extraordinary human being: President Jefferson sure could write!

What these 140 words of Jefferson tells us is what is to be expected from the psyche of one who embraces Slavery or whose forefathers were a Slave owner. We are informed that because of Slavery the White male conduct will generally be described as brutish towards Black folk; in this he was trained by his forefathers. 

Though being a Slave owner at the time of his writings, this is what Jefferson was saying in his repudiation of Slavery and the need for it to end. Jefferson saw the negative psychological forces of Slavery upon White men; its powerful influence for brutish treatment of other human beings.

Not only was there a concern for the Slave, no Jefferson in his writings was concerned for the psyche of his peers if Slavery were not dismantled. In this he was concerned for the future of a nation that he loved and helped to form.

From the ages Jefferson’s words predicted our present. Yes, we see Slavery’s "unhappy influence" on the human spirit of the past and we see it in folk today. From the voices of folk like talk show host Rush Limbaugh and through the public policies and words of folk like Representative Paul Ryan, Jefferson’s words of old can be seen through men who yet seek to control America.

These are men of whom Jefferson was speaking as they are the “imitators.” These are folk who in a modern era, yet want to disenfranchise those who they deem inferior to themselves; in this they imitate their forefathers.

Truly a peculiar thing it is, to bed a woman of another race and hold her brother in vile disregard; in this Jefferson and Ryan have commonality. Ryan and Limbaugh are among the men who want to control the affects of a growing demographic shift in America that will not be reversed.

The challenge for Black folk and for the nation is whether or not the forces and structures that control opportunity in America will remain as they are. Or will these structures and forces be mitigated by a focused effort that changes their power?

So we ask the question: when will Black folk decide that they have had enough of being dominated by these forces and structures? When will the disenfranchised put an end to such? Will Black folk continue to dwell within these constructs of control and power or impose a manifestation of true freedom?

History tells us that there was a time when Black folk could indeed get together for a common cause. Creating their own capital and financial structures is within the wherewithal of Black folk. It has been done in the past by folk who may have been even less sophisticated in the ways of finance and capital aggregation than some are today.

The same can be said of the other forces of dominance suffered by Black folk. Now, some Black folk foolishly do not believe that there is such dominance over the race in 2014. Be that as it may. But there is another question. Will Black folk do what is required for Racial Reconciliation to occur in America and will this change America for Black folk? We contend that the same question must be asked of White folk, along with another question. What are you gonna do?