The Legacy of Slavery: The Persistent Traumatization of African-Americans in the United States

Abstract The contemporary literature reveals many indications of racial and ethnic disparity that adversely affect African-Americans living in the United States. This paper/poster identifies these various forms of discrimination and marginalization, and describes how trauma may be generalized to African-Americans in our current national culture. The paper presents a brief history and subsequently presents specific information related to disparities in mortality, health, economics, education, and the judicial system as well as the ability to participate in the larger society. This current literature review presents evidence that suggests that all African-Americans suffer from some form of trauma. This paper may be fundamental to future dialog and research in the area of trauma in African-American life and suggests that interdisciplinary work in this area is needed. Keywords: African-Americans, racism, disparity, economics, education, healthcare, trauma