New York, NY – As the nation marks Juneteenth—commemorating June 19, 1865, when federal troops enforced the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas—Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. calls for a deeper reckoning with the global and generational impact of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Chavis, a renowned civil rights leader, former executive director of the NAACP and President and CEO of the Black Press of America, co-authored The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Overcoming the 500-Year Legacy (October 8, 2024; ISBN 978-1-59079-569-9) with Stacy M. Brown, an accomplished journalist and author and senior national correspondent for Black Press USA.
The book features a powerful foreword by hip-hop legend Chuck D and is endorsed by NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas.
- Environmental Racism: Dr. Chavis coined the term “environmental racism” in the early 1980s. His 1986 study, Toxic Waste and Race, revealed how hazardous waste sites disproportionately impact communities of color—leading to widespread health disparities and environmental injustice.
- Mass Incarceration, Inequality, and Systemic Racism: “The chains of slavery may have been broken,” Chuck D writes, “but the shackles of systemic racism are still very much intact.” The book links modern injustices—from police brutality to education gaps—directly to slavery’s legacy.
- Global Repercussions: The transatlantic slave trade left marks not only on American soil but around the globe, influencing foreign policy, economic disparity, and racial inequality from the U.S. to the Caribbean and beyond.
- Modern-Day Consequences: From gentrification and poverty to voter suppression and underfunded schools, Black communities continue to face barriers rooted in this centuries-old system of oppression.
“Too many still refuse to connect the dots between slavery and today’s racial injustices,” said Dr. Chavis. “This book is a wake-up call—a demand for awareness and a call to action.”
A Must-Read for a Nation in Reflection:
The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Overcoming the 500-Year Legacy is a timely, urgent, and unapologetic look at how the horrors of the past continue to shape present-day realities. It honors the resilience of Black people while demanding America finally reckon with truth and justice.
