by Eden Gardner

Created on: March 24, 2009   Last Updated: April 18, 2009

The question "What impact did slavery have on our society today?" should actually read "What impact does slavery not have on our society today?" Our status as an industrialized wealthy nation, and our status as a world power is primarily the result of slavery. Slavery in the United States was an institution of systematic abuse that transcended humanity in a whole new realm of evil. As most slavery is a result of power, privilege and the free labor of the masses to build wealth for the wealthy elite, slavery in America was a result of bigotry, prejudice, hatred and falsehoods in addition to the aforementioned.

Slavery in the United States was a double crime. First, a slave was dehumanized by the very act of involuntary servitude. The entire institution denied a slave basic constitutional rights, their well being, their families and their dignity for generations. Second, slavery deprived them of their future. After their freedom, black Americans continued to struggle for equality. The government can change laws, but cannot enforce them; especially when prejudice is at the heart of the matter. After all, we are "free" to decide how we feel, and to whom we feel it. The government believed that restitution was already provided to the slaves by giving them their freedom. However, the freedom to starve, die of disease, live in inadequate shelters or remain completely homeless with a family, without the assistance or support of their community, a slave could hardly be considered "free." This term merely meant that they no longer had to starve or endure severe torture or death at the hands of their masters; with their newfound "freedom," the slaves could now endure the same treatment from the entire community as a "free" person. The double crime involved in slavery is the result of two independent but interwoven kinds of slavery; slavery from law and slavery from hate. Laws and hate among a common people cannot be changed or eliminated without drastic action from the community as a whole. Therefore, although the slaves were technically "free," they would not see justice in their lifetime. Unfortunately, the rippling effects of slavery would continue through the African American community for many generations to come.

To say that slavery makes an "impact" on our society today is a gross understatement. Although slavery is technically and legally over, the ramifications are enormous. The hypocracy, discrimination, prejudice, segregation, hatred and animosity among the races

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