Millions of Africans were enslaved in the United States & the 13 colonies from 1619 - 1865. American Slavery resembled no other form of involuntary servitude known, as Africans were captured & sold at auction like inanimate objects or animals.
Those forced into slavery were brutalized, & dehumanized at best! The system of slavery & the visceral racism became entrenched in the Nation’s fabric. Slavery was not abolished until the passage of the 13th Amendment 246 years later.
African Americans sill face fleeting political, social, & economic ills. A genuine apology is an important and necessary first step in the process of racial reconciliation. While centuries of brutality & injustices cannot be erased, it is important for this country, which legally recognized slavery & segregation.