Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America's Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing Paperback – Illustrated, January 1, 2005

Must read.

I think it would benefit any and all readers of all races and cultures and spiritual orientation. I was totally impacted by the history and have no doubt that our people and our country are still impacted by slavery today. I believe self-awareness is often a great first step for change, growth, improvement, and health, and this book can be the impetus for such awareness. Great job Dr. Degruy, keep on pursuing justice.

This is an excellent book on a particular type of PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This disorder, as the title implies, is "Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome. DeGruy does an outstanding job of documenting the dehumanizing experience of black Africans being sold into slavery, being transported in ships under grossly inhumane conditions, and being dehumanized by being treated as property in the United States [the land of the free...]. Then blacks in the USA, after the Civil War, being legally free but suffering under legalized segregation, denial of voting rights, and other Jim Crow Laws. The author traces the influence of this horrible background on the mind, attitudes, and social adaptations of blacks in the United States today. Many of the social problems of crime, violence, and proverty have their roots in slavery, some have called, "The Original Sin" of America. This phenomena parallels about what I have written in my books, "Spiritual Terrorism" and "Christianity Without Insanity," about another form of PTSD: Post Traumatic Spiritual Disorder. Fear-based Christianity was often used as a tool to help keep the salves in subjection, after they had converted to Christianity. Slave masters quoted the Bible, "Slaves obey your masters." Many poor uneducated white people have been and still are kept in subjection by the powers that be by threats of eternal torture in literal hell fire for not accepting Christ and doing A, B,and C and/or not doing X, Y, and Z. Many people of all races have been brainwashed to be obedient pawns of fear-based religion, in general, and so-called orthodox Christianity in particular.

This is easily the best book that I have ever read - no exaggeration. It was very eye opening and changed my perspective about my culture. This book answered so many questions that I had about the culture and history of African Americans. It was very quotable and I recommend this book to any person of African descent.

I read this book for a research paper as a phd student. I was able to learn so much and make my paper so. Uch better with this book

I had came across this phenomenal lecturer on Youtube.com (from the advice of my mentor) and knew instantly that I wanted to hear more of what this woman had to say. This book is a great supplement to her Youtube.com video at http://youtu.be/PMVRyD4UlHk?t=20s. The Youtube video could stand alone; whereas, this book is icing. The Youtube seemed more detailed, especially in terms of cognitive dissonance and other things like the postcard pictures of lynchings. I think the video is more recent and therefore there are more supporting facts. Regardless, this should be required reading for African Americans, especially in an academic setting.Even though America has a tarnished past, especially when it comes to the stain of slavery and the subsequent treatment of African Americans, this book offers hope and concrete steps to heal from PTSS. This book has touched me at a deep level, just hearing about other people's reactions was very validating, especially when it comes to anger seething beneath the surface.One thing that I enjoyed learning through the video that wasn't in the book was that the Statue of Liberty's chains (not shown in most photos or on film) was supposed to symbolize America's abolition of slavery in 1865. We don't hear about that, but this has been a fact verified on the government's website at www.nps.gov/stli/historyculture/abolition.htm. This woman is phenomenal and I hope the truth continues to come out.