To the racist, black skin color is bad. Slaves developed attitudes and behaviors that were passed down from one generation to the next, says NaHim Akbar, a psychologist at Florida State University and a nationally recognized Afrocentrist. If not for slavery, their mind-set might have been different, he says. African-Americans, after all, evolved largely from whites like George Washington,'' who were the original deadbeat dads. The destruction of the black family stems from a time when babies were pulled from the arms of their mothers on the auction block, Akbar says.
Slavery is accused of causing a rift between black men and women, too.
Slave masters viewed black women as breeders or sex objects. Black women, who were raped in front of black men who couldn't protect them, learned to fend for themselves. Black mothers still teach their daughters to rely on themselves. Some say an apology from the White House might start the healing process. Three years ago, the Southern Baptist Convention repented for the sin of racism and apologized for 19th century forebears' support of slavery.