Transgenerational Trauma and Healing for African-Americans

The Inherited Strength in Mind, Body and Soul of Our African Ancestors

A rich new culture blending old and new rituals, style and music has evolved; no doubt because of the strength in mind, body and soul of our African ancestors. Each year, during African-American History Month, we recognize and honor the lives of our enslaved ancestors; we acknowledge their struggle for freedom and justice; and their survival despite all the obstacles they encountered during the transatlantic slave trade era. Survival, for our forefathers, came with a price tag — it’s called transgenerational trauma and modern-day racism.

Wake up call

The profound racial divide expands and contracts but never ceases to exist since the hearts and minds of people are continuously changing. Significant events, such as an unanticipated global pandemic, created a paradigm shift in the nation’s collective consciousness. The public execution of George Floyd seen via social media served as a wakeup call. American identity was being reevaluated across communities, desperate to understand the hypocrisy and inherent racist ideologies.

It was being recognized as an identity based on outdated documentation established during slavery reflecting the beliefs of slave holders and by southern journalists sympathetic to their cause.

Racism has continued to have a detrimental effect on every aspect of African-American life. Systemic inequality and discriminatory policies involving education, work, housing and even religious practices persist. Simultaneously with the arrival of enslaved Africans in America, indigenous peoples were fighting wars with the same conquerors to survive.

We must accept the reality without becoming bitter in the process

According to a growing body of evidence, stress from traumatic long term tragic events such as slavery, war and genocide can be passed down generation to generation. Science has established that a person’s DNA can contain the chemical imprint of generational trauma.

Post Traumatic Slavery Syndrome (PTSS) does exist

Many scholars have agreed that Post Traumatic Slavery Syndrome (PTSS) does exist. Dr. DeGruy theory of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome has  published her findings in the book “Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome – America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing”. PTSS is a disorder that stems from centuries of multigenerational enslavement of Africans and their descendants — a slavery system designed to eliminate or lighten the workload of colonizers.

Practice Healing

It is essential for African-Americans to continue discovering new pathways for healing from institutionalized racism. To begin the healing process, one must first accept the reality of the truth of these tragedies without becoming overwhelmed and bitter in the process.

Reclaiming our culture

The recognition and celebration of the past through holidays has become a vital part of that healing process.

As an alternative to the Christmas season, the Kwanza holiday was born. Family, culture and ancestors are celebrated on the festival developed by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 based on the first harvest celebrations in Africa. Kwanzaa

Other celebrations continue to reawaken a connection to our past and work towards healing our future.

Are you Asking yourself: “What Can I do?”

1. Educate yourself so you can teach others.
2. Become involved and find support with organizations that address and discuss the intense emotions connected with racism and attend ceremonies developed to honor the ancestors whose lives were shattered during the trans- Atlantic slave trade and the genocide of Native Americans.
3. create many new Holidays like Kwanza and Indigenous peoples Month.
4. Take responsibility for your life in spite of the reality of this tragic past and remember that improving one’s own life can help generations to come.
5. people of all races from all walks of life can participate in the healing process by attending a specific event designed for the purpose of healing such as Tribute to the Ancestors and Indigenous people’s events throughout the United States.
6. Become involved in the removal of all statues, plaques street names representing slave holders.
7. protest and sign petitions against all racism of all kinds

Documents of Deceit

The signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, solidified the narrative that summarized the truth about America. When we look at just one of the many out-of-date documents that define America, it’s easy to see why it’s so difficult to move past racism.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

This statement was written prior to the abolition of slavery and is cryptic today but was clear at the time it was written by Thomas Jefferson, a statesman and a slave owner who desired to leave the issue of slave emancipation to a future generation. The term “creator” is symbolic of the bible’s perpetuation and justification of slavery. This document states that God bestows rights on white men, but slaves are not included in this declaration because they were not considered to be subhuman property. The forefathers never imagined that slavery would be abolished.

The lines below refer to Indigenous Americans:

Who we all know are the first inhabitants and stewards of this land, as “merciless Indian Savages, who’s known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes, and conditions?

This sums up the justification of the attempt to annihilate an entire civilization and culture of indigenous people. They refer to Indigenous people as merciless Indian savages they failed to include the fact that they waged an unbeatable war with modern weapons while inflicting incurable diseases on all natives.

The symbols of racism slowly begin to fade

Since George Floyd’s death, over 100 statues and plaques have been removed, either by lawmakers or protesters. Social media and the pandemic combined to create fertile ground for people to view things differently. The outrage sparked protests across the United States, with large crowds marching against America’s flawed and out-of-date documents, declarations, and laws. We are witnessing visual transformations, which is the first step toward a more compassionate America. If we continue in this direction, we can anticipate presenting a painful but accurate history that will motivate us to take more positive steps forward.

As we enter this new era, sculptors are designing new monuments that reflect a different America. For example, two female sculptors are changing the landscape of America. Vinnie Bagwell and Simone Leigh  

Old statues and even plaques are being evaluted for their accuracy in the depiction of history and that which they celebrate.  To see a complete list of statues and more detailed information, click here

There is an active movement to remove certain statues. For more info go to Take Them Down.   

Sieur de Bienville Jean was the founder of New Orleans. Under Bienville’s command, African slaves were brought to Louisiana. In order to prevent a slave revolt, Bienville devised the Code Noir (Black Code), which controlled the behavior of African-American slaves for nearly 100 years, until Louisiana was taken over by the United States. One of the many statues on the “take them down list.

Indigenous Americans have replaced The Columbus Day parade with Indigenous people’s day. Celebrations honoring the Culture of Natives take place across America. In 1977, the United Nations held an international meeting on discrimination, and the idea of an Indigenous Peoples Day was born. Red Hawk council

Just as we must recognize and continue to address PTSD/PTSS, we must do the same to continue the healing process, not just for the benefit of African-Americans and Indigenous Americans — but for our Nation at large.

Photos by Lisa DuBois©