A Five-Hundred-Year-Old Shared History

August 30, 2025

The article discusses the transatlantic slave trade as a foundational element of American history that shaped global economics from the 16th through 19th centuries. It highlights current political tensions surrounding how slavery is taught and remembered, with President Trump criticizing the Smithsonian Institution for its unvarnished portrayal of slavery's brutality. The piece explains how the slave trade operated as a three-step economic system that transported 17-30 million Africans to the Americas, creating an economic bridge between Europe, Africa, and the Americas that was crucial to global economic development.

Who is affected

Black Americans whose ancestors were victims of the slave trade
Museum institutions like the Smithsonian facing political pressure over exhibits
Educators and the general public receiving information about slavery's history
Native Americans who had their land seized
Descendants of enslaved Africans who continue to experience the legacy of injustice
Irish people who were also enslaved and transported to the Caribbean

What action is being taken

The article is being re-run as a series to confront America's painful past
President Trump is criticizing the Smithsonian Institution for its portrayal of slavery
Trump's administration is reviewing museum exhibits and threatening funding cuts
Historians and academics are continuing to document and analyze the economic and social impacts of the transatlantic slave trade

Why it matters

The transatlantic slave trade was foundational to American society and its legacy continues to echo in society today
Understanding slavery's history is under political threat as some seek to "sanitize the narrative"
The slave trade was the largest mass deportation in human history and a determining factor in the 18th century world economy
It created a crucial link in global economic development between Europe, Africa, and the Americas
The economic motivations behind slavery led to racism, not the other way around
Accurate historical understanding provides context for current social and economic conditions

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint