The Myths of American Slavery

American Thinker ^ | June 1, 2016 | Michael Kimmitt

[Kaslin]

As construction of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture progresses toward its September opening, Museum Director Lonnie Bunch joined CBS “60 Minutes”’ Scott Pelley on a visit to Mozambique in search of a ship that carried hundreds of African slaves to the bottom of the Indian Ocean when it foundered 220 years ago.

“The story of slavery is everybody's story,” Bunch explained to Pelley. “It is the story about how we're all shaped by, regardless of race, regardless of how long we've been in this country. We hope that we can be a factor to both educate America around this subject but maybe more importantly help Americans finally wrestle with this, talk about it, debate it…”

So how are 21st Century citizens of the United States obliged to “finally wrestle” with, in this case, the long-ago deaths of Africans who were enslaved by other Africans, forcefully driven for many miles through a Mozambique port and on to a Portuguese slave ship bound for Brazil, while the descendants of all those who actually participated in this event are allowed to be wistfully unconcerned and guilt-free?

You see, Mr. Bunch is wrong on one key point. Slavery is not everybody’s story -- it must remain exclusively a story for the United States and its people. Only we are required to bear the indelible stain of this country’s original sin -- and it appears those who entered or will enter here assume this mantle of guilt themselves a century-and-a-half after the institution of slavery was ended.

[Ditter]

One of my direct ancestors is listed in the First Census of Texas 1835. His wealth was listed as ....1 mule....... 1 slave......1 wooden clock.

I didn't inherit the wooden clock or anything else from him. I did get to see the dog trot house he built in east Texas. I saw it back in the 50’s and I would love to see the house again but I don't know where it is.