400 years since the first enslaved people arrived in America – our experts can help in looking back at our country’s history

It was 400 years ago this August that the first enslaved people arrived on the shores of North America, changing forever the direction of history.

“These men and women had been stolen from their homes in Africa, forced to board a ship, and sailed for months into the unknown. The first Africans in an English colony, their arrival is considered by many historians to be the beginning of a 400-year story filled with tragedy, endurance, survival, and a legacy of resilience, inequality, and oppression.” National Geographic, Aug. 13

The history of slavery and the journey from chains to freedom to equality has been a long one and there is still so much to learn and tell.

• Even today, how are African American communities negatively affected by this event?
• Is the topic taught and covered in U.S. children’s education?
• What role did the enslaved play in the building of our country and is that role recognized?
• What would America look like today without the slave trade?
• Do reparations work and how would they be decided?

This is an important and sensitive topic – and if you are a journalist covering the history of slavery, that’s where our experts can help.

Professor Seretha Williams is an expert in Africa and African diaspora, digital humanities, and digital publication. Williams is also the co-editor of Afterimages of Slavery, Essays on Appearances in Recent American Films, Literature, Television, and Other Media. She is available to speak with media regarding this historic moment – simply click on her icon to arrange an interview.