🇺🇸A Moral Debt: The Legacy of Slavery in the USA | Al Jazeera Correspondent
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- Опубликовано: 3 июл 2024
- By Lynn Ferguson
Journalist James Gannon has inherited a controversial family legacy - that of a clear descendency from General Robert E Lee, who led the Confederate Army against the Union during the American Civil war in the mid-19th century.
Gannon grew up in Richmond, Virginia, the former capital of the Confederacy, where an 18-metre-high statue of his ancestor dominates the landscape in Monument Avenue, the city's grandest street.
For over 100 years, Richmond has honoured Lee as one of its greatest heroes. Until recently.
In 2015, 21-year-old white supremacist Dylann Roof shot nine African Americans in a church in Charleston, South Carolina. Photographs of Roof draped in and posing with the Confederate flag emerged on a now defunct white supremacist website.
Soon after, the city council in New Orleans voted for their Confederate monuments to be removed. Public consultations over Confederate memorials took place in Virginia, which once had the largest enslaved population in the United States.
When a "Unite the Right" rally to protest against the removal of a Robert E Lee statue in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned into violent clashes in August 2017, it accelerated the national debate about what to do with the country's more than 1,500 monuments and publically-installed symbols memorialising the American Civil War.
What happened that weekend in Charlottesville made Gannon consider the true legacy of his slave-owning ancestors.
On a journey into his family's legacy, Gannon explores why people across the US are so divided on the subject of Confederate monuments and whether the oppression of enslaved people by his ancestors still has an effect on black lives in the US today.
Travelling across Virginia and Maryland to meet key actors in the ongoing moral dilemma the US finds itself in regards to the Civil War and glorification of Confederate monuments, Gannon finds himself face to face with the debate for justice, reparations and the fight to tear these statues down.
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Powerful reporting here
folks just remember this,nobody's born racist,parent teach their kids how to hate and be a racist,if you kan teach them ti hate,you can also teach them how to love...
i prefer LOVE
It's more than teaching racism. It's supporting, and being supported by, a system that supports a racist institution.
This documentary changed my opinion on reparations in the US. I don’t think handing out cash directly to people is the answer though. Levelling up is needed. Education, employment opportunities, infrastructure etc.
agree with that
Every country has practiced slavery & Americas history of slavery is no where near as bad as Africa & Asia.
@@wandameadows5736 plus Al jazzera, which is funded by the Qatari government has a massive problem with slavery. Since many of their “migrant” workers who go there are not allowed to leave, work in horrid conditions, and get paid a horrendous wage. So they aren’t in a place to lecture to others about slavery.
@wandameadows5736 nah, chattel slavery in the US, Brazil and several other American countries is uniquely brutal and monstrous. All slavery is horrific but here, enslaved people were bred to be brutalized. You need to read more on this.
Well done Al Jazeera.
I could only image those times. I do not support Confederate statues, doesn't matter the excuses for ppl who do. :( IMO
Erase the past and you will forget it, that is why I support keeping them where they are.
GOD BLESS YOU SON FOR HAVING THE NOBILITY AND COURAGE FOR UNCOVERING AND TEACHING TRUTH...
Need more people like rick
Funny how AJ keeps talking about the history of slavery in the US while in QATAR they practice it to this day.
That is a point, he is doing what he can and where he can and hope that those who can do something about it anywher can also do it. He is trsyng to clean the dirt in his house first. Long way to go
Do you have a prove to what you saying.
flioink beat me to it. You earned an upvote.
this is true.
America is the worst slave nation in the whole world. Modern slaves are not in chains, they are in debt.
America's history is AWFUL.
Shows you how far we have come
@Yishkah's dream Oh yeah, slavery is still a major problem here in the states. All the colored folk are on the plantations and none of them are allowed to run for political offices, own businesses, own property, or anything else. 😒
Every country has practiced slavery & Americas history of slavery is no where near as bad as Africa & Asia.
Amazing. Thank you.
Guilt is destructive,and action is constructive,,,,,
34:00 This information is VERY important
Kwame to America is like Nathan to king David.
"You are the man!"
The long history of discrimination (and worse) experienced by persons of color is certainly a crime against humanity, one of many such crimes never fully acknowledged or addressed.
One might say that persons of color were prevented from participating in a political and social structure that awarded the legal power of a minority to claim what was produced by the majority. Enslaved persons were certainly the most severely victimized by the systems of property law and taxation brought to North America from Britain, Spain, France and other European countries. The economic value of almost everything they produced was claimed by those who by law were permitted to confiscate this wealth. To a lesser degree, many other groups of later arrivals experienced a similar theft of what they produced.
For over four decades I have taught history and have researched how this was allowed to occur. The answer challenges what is taught in our schools and what most Americans accept as a legitimate quest for personal gain. To understand the origins of gross inequality, one must examine the continuum that has existed in human history.
From the time of the fall of the Roman empire, the social structure under which most European people lived was feudalism. Implied under feudal relations was reciprocity between the feudal lords and those who worked the land. This relationship broke down after the Crusades stimulated an expanded reliance on gold and silver coinage in the Mediterranean trade. In Britain, the signing of Magna Carta, gave the feudal lords direct control over the land, which they gradually privatized and turned into just another commodity. All across Europe the common lands were subsequently enclosed, the peasants replaced by sheep and cattle. The “surplus” people of Europe made their way to the new colonies established by the European powers. The hunger for land came with them. The “first families” of the new world either came with huge land grants from the king or earned such grants by service in wars against the other European powers in the quest for territorial expansion. The majority of the founders of the new United States of America engaged in land speculation as a primary means of building lasting fortunes. George Washington was one of the most successful in this game.
From that time on one of the strategies of America’s landed elite (eventually expanded to corporate enterprises) was to use their influence over the course of politics to make sure that landed wealth was minimally taxed, while income earned producing goods or providing services absorbed the brunt of the cost of paying for public goods and services. Poor White immigrants at least had the opportunity to escape hard lives in the eastern cities by a century-long migration until as the historian Frederick Jackson Turner documented, the land was nearly fully claimed. By the end of the nineteenth century the opportunity to acquire land inexpensively - whether for agriculture, industry or a residence -- had disappeared. Persons of color entered this competition far too late to benefit in any material way, even if the systems of finance and wage employment had been even-handed. This, I conclude, is the reason persons of color have been prevented from accumulating a similar level of individual wealth as whites, although It must be pointed out as well that the concentration of wealth among Whites is also highly concentrated despite the absence of chattel slavery where Whites are concerned. Generations of Whites have worked under near-intolerable conditions in mines, mills, factories and many other occupations. Persons of color eventually joined them, adding to the growing supply of laborers competing with one another for a subsistence living.
For most households in the United States (regardless of race or ethnicity) the key to wealth accumulation is the ownership of a residential property in a community where business activity and employment remains stable. The large number of evictions and foreclosure sales just since 2008 speaks to the insecurity of net worth based on equity in a residential property. Seniors and minority property owners comprised the overwhelming majority of those victimized by predatory and sub-prime mortgage debt.
To return to the starting point of this story of our economic experience, the problem is and has been the gross under-taxation of the value of whatever land individuals hold, the result of which is that speculation in land has become integral to the economic DNA of Americans, driving up land prices to levels that make housing unaffordable wherever employment opportunities exist. The poorest among our population are left largely trapped, often forced to pay high rents for substandard housing, with little left over to build savings.
There are no silver bullets to change the course of history overnight. That said, I believe very strongly that the one essential change in public policy to begin the process is to press local communities and school districts to move toward a land-only property tax base. An annual charge to owners of land equal to the potential annual rental value of whatever land is held will bring down land prices and serve as a strong financial incentive for owners to bring the land they hold to its highest, best use or sell to someone who will. Business enterprise will be rewarded. Jobs will be created, and communities will begin to have sufficient revenue to fund high quality schools and other public goods and services. Absentee land owners will no longer be able to sit and wait for communities to become “gentrified” or for government to subsidize new development with tax credits and abatements.
There is a wealth of economic literature expanding on the case I am making here, going all the way back to the great Scottish political economist Adam Smith. The Philadelphia-based Center for the Study of Economics (CSE) is today working with a number of communities around the U.S. to move in the above direction. CSE’s Executive Director is someone any concerned community leader ought to reach out to, none more so than those who are committed to improving the lives of the disfranchised.
Edward J. Dodson, M.L.A.
Stellar peace of work. I admire your courage. Seriously... NWO... ONE...
I follow you yesterday on Al Jazeera, i will need more insight on this please.
Very good and funny videos bring a great sense of entertainment!
Very good documentary!........
Separation is definitely a sane option.. Stop trying to use their restrooms and build your own.. Build your own everything and make it better than your enemy...
That was done 118’years ago we have the film and articles to prove it. Blacks had a total of 60 towns. The most famous town was nicknamed Black Wall Street. This particular town was bombed and burned to the ground by the US Military and local whites. So you see, they built their own already
But the US Had other ideas.
not really. i live in argentina capital and i am of Lithuanian ascendance (3rd gen argentian) so i and racism here is nowhere that big of a problem. most people here are racist to other withe people from chile and not people of color and migrants like the Venezuelan. i belive there can be peace between al races in 1 place as long as that doesn't include people who belive in Islam not matter the race. because Islam is just polar opposite of modern culture. christian church also hates abortion and gay marriage too but they don't go killing them (anymore at least).
Everytime Black people have done this, white people, sanctioned by the government, tear it down.
Just to show how fragile democracy is. The strong undercurrent that still lingers even after more than a century of slavery
Nice info
This goofy man with the cowboy hat is probably not even from Richmond!!!
Id like to know where that place is, where they reenact the steps of slaves coming off the ship.
i love this
The video sound is pretty good, beyond my imagination
A nation can only be truly rich in all sense when every single soul, citizen or not, goes to bed after at least 3 decent meals...
The answer is Socialism
Every country has practiced slavery & Americas history of slavery is no where near as bad as Africa & Asia.
I just finished reading "White Like Me" by Tìm Wise.
I wonder when Al jazeera will do a segment on the legacy of the millenia old Arab slave trade? I mean, the Atlantic slave trade wouldnt be possible without established Arab slave routes and institutions allowing Europeans to exploit the slave system and refine it.
Sad how many slavery apologists are in the comments.
How about Arab culture debt to slavery, still going on today?
Hypocrisy nothing. Has changed
My history teachers when I was 9 Taught us about the Civil War We learn to love both sides ❤ We always had the salt flag hanging up too..😊 Great respector of general lee George Washington a slave owner?🇺🇸 ❤
so oppressed and offended by it but still live in the town. Get over it it’s history and it’s finished.
The Descendants of Slaves in America need to be made whole, Reparations are owed.
So you can leave your people behind like LeBron James and Jay Z did
Only 13k views with millions of subscribers... something is wrong.
They showed on tv worldwide a couple of times and it's very sad to say the least
“ I had no idea that wealth gap between whites and blacks is still so huge today” ... just hilarious 😂😂
I work in all the hospitals in Las Vegas, Ethiopians are at the tip of their game.. so it’s not color it’s cultural.
I am 1.3% African American. Not good in maths. Can anyone work out how much I will get?
Johan Carstens zero
slavery is all around you, everyday.
8:40. Try again
Just imagine how much longer slavery would have gone on for (maybe even worsened) if the Confederates had one, thank god they lost.
To me, it is just a piece of history but I definitely wouldn't mind it being torn dow so I say "OUT WITH THESE OLD MENTALITIES!"
I'm so sick of living in a world run by the mentalities of people who have been dead for ages.
Most of their ideologies are completely and utterly redundant. Imagine how many believed that the earth was the centre of the universe, sun spins around us, earth is flat, evolution is lies.
History is interesting but it can also be a burden on certain communities & people to try something new FFS.
STOP LIVING IN THE PAST.
You have to admit, the woman in the cafe, who I believe was also a relation was certainly correct that Mr. James Gannon truly does resemble his very famous and somewhat controversial ancestor. Anyone who has pain any attention to the issue of race in this country knows that there is still a great deal of obstacles and resistance and heartache still ahead of us and much yet for all of us to overcome.
Leave me alone Lorraine. 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡
What sort of ignoramus grew up knowing he was a descendant of Lee without bothering to learn anything about the history and legacy of slavery? He appears to mean well, but his white privilege is staggering. I'm an old white woman who moved to the south in the late 50's, yet my parents discussed racism with me and I made sure to teach my children this aspect of history. I've witnessed the injustice of low expectations for black children. In this case, it's low expectations for white journalists. I'm glad two people pointed out that it never occurred to him to learn the last name of the woman whose mother had been owned by his family, much less respect her by using it.
Robert E Lee's grandson is captain cheesy balls
Powerful reporting would be to report on all of the migrant labor in Qatar happening right now where people from all over are brought in to work as slaves building the Qatari buildings, serving the Qataris, doing their manual labor, and being paid close to nothing, while their passports are held by their so called slave owners, I mean Qatari employers. These people are lied to and told they can get awesome money and benefits and instead they become slaves and cannot even afford to go home. Please al-jazeera where is the reporting on that?? I wonder why we never see reporting on what’s happening with Qatar and what it’s really doing?
Excatly you look like him.
I do find it at least a bit comforting and hope-giving that there are White Southerners who are truly embarassed and angry about the racial issue
How about the legacy of slavery from the whole world? Or just MUSLIM COUNTRIES.
Sharing the story of Enslaved Africans in America does not negate the other forms of slavery in the world. Slavery anywhere is our shame everywhere. Go in peace and do your part to heal the world just as this young man has done.
As long as people keep arguing about the past and what’s right wrong or whatever we’ll never come together as a country
Ending statement stays weak; otherwise vital effort.
ABU DUBAI IS ABU LAHAB......TO ANTICRIST SAI BABA,
is he proud of his ancestors?
35:41 - 36:00 She threw a curve ball...Froze him up....She showed how disrespectful he was being too miss estella....It's Miss Estella Belt.....It's Miss or Mister ..Show some RESPECT
1st like and cmnt
I live in the deap south. Removing history is a bad thing. Even bad history must be remembered. It is shocking how fast history is forgotten. I am not a fan of the people removing statue around the US right now.
Museums are a great place to remember and learn about history.
Con lo scoppio del BlackLivesMatter in salsa imperiale è stato fatto un grande errore.
the dude at 1:49 should take off the african thing on his flag he should resolve his problems by playing the game by rules of people that create it thats when you start moving forward not by resisting them and you are black not african-american
I noticed they showing this white Gentile giving Mercy to black people who came from slavery but they're not showing no Jewish people who did a lot of helping black people what happened to the story of Mississippi Burning Andrew Goodman sacrificing his life for black people who was Jewish why are they giving all credit to this descended white Gentile like he's more special when he's not period 🤔 😐 😒