How Americans deceive ourselves about slavery

Core Impact Points

• Author Clint Smith's book 'How the Word Is Passed' examines the distortions in how slavery is taught and remembered in America.
• Smith's work highlights the need for a more accurate and honest understanding of the country's past, with significant implications for American society.
• The book reveals the ongoing legacy of slavery and its impact on contemporary issues, such as systemic racism and economic inequality.
• Smith's personal experiences growing up in New Orleans, where Confederate iconography is prevalent, inform his exploration of the distortions in historical narratives.
• The author's work emphasizes the importance of critical education and media literacy in addressing the ongoing legacy of slavery.
• By confronting the distortions in historical narratives, Americans can work towards a more inclusive and equitable understanding of their collective past.