Confronting hard history | Hasan Kwame Jeffries | TEDxOhioStateUniversity

The past shapes the present. But there are aspects of the American past - so-called Hard History - that we refuse to engage with honestly because we are afraid of what will be revealed about who we were and who we are as a nation. This talk explores why confronting Hard History is so difficult and yet so necessary. It also explains how to face the most difficult elements of our past head-on. Less concerned about repeating historical phenomena that produced racial inequality and more concerned about allowing these phenomena to continue, historian Hasan Kwame Jeffries studies the African American past in order to make a more equitable American present. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@kassb4287]

In school we spent an ENTIRE year, one hour every day from my history class doing absolutely nothing but watch Little House On The Prairie. Every day for an entire year. I can't say i remember actually learning anything from that class but happy little white kids running through fields.. Thank you for this video.

[@user-qt5eh9wb7g]

Yeah, now you're educated! Smh....

[@cooperandrews1543]

ngl it sounds like you may of just had a terrible teacher

[@womenwhodarellc5732]

Outstanding hard history and the steps to disrupt it.

[@soriano1996]

Great presentation! He spoke nothing but truth ✊🏽

[@boofis8953]

I feel like at least 15 teachers are watching this

[@milann2766]

so u were sent here by a teacher too..

[@boofis8953]

@@milann2766 Yes yes i was You?

[@milann2766]

@@boofis8953 yes lmaoo

[@colinzember9708]

lol same here

[@SoulsGuns]

So true

[@imaloserdude7227]

America has a long history of those in power using and abusing those who are not in power, from the beginning where land-owning aristocrats set up a government in which they could remain in control to this day. I liked the explanation where we all value nostalgia, but not history. History is painfully cruel and abusive. Good talk, something worth listening to and thinking about.

[@CreamCobblerFiend]

Every society does. These things happened in every culture on the planet. The difference is that the West admits its shortcoming while others hide them and deny.

[@shariecebrewster5962]

Yes

[@elmanin1775]

Bendisiones amigo buena explicasion

[@chocolateladycap2773]

I had a college history professor who said that the civil war was not about slavery but was States’ rights

[@shariecebrewster5962]

From new York

[@deborabowlin8950]

so very interesting and painful to hear ...great talk...needs to be heard

[@chuckwoodruff4187]

Whoops there it is

[@shariecebrewster5962]

I love your video

[@lauramorrison969]

This helped me understand the push for reparations, thank you

[@user-hu1pg7gd8r]

Гшг

[@CreamCobblerFiend]

Things like this happen in every culture on the planet. The difference is that the West admits its shortcoming while others hide them and deny. There is nothing uniquely American about racism or slavery. In fact, we were on of the first nations to challenge slavery and I think that shows tremendous virtue of the nations people.

[@APR4U]

I was raised in a country that was finding its self a Cub Scout a Boy Scout a believer in freedom for all loving all people all nations and tribes coming together. And then the magnification of the problems that has completely divided us as a people instead of bringing us together.

[@rakeshvlogs6567]

“Don’t make trees rare, keep them with care.” "रूखहरुलाई दुर्लभ नबनाउनुहोस्, तिनीहरूलाई सुरक्षित गर्नुहोस्।"

[@IronDragonGroup]

This video was made 17 days before the death of George Floyd, the day that all that prejudice and hatred was finally dragged out from the shadows ad into the light. The timing is incredible when you step back and look at it.

[@CreamCobblerFiend]

I mean it isn't exactly unique to the US. These things happen in every culture on the planet and its always wrong. The difference is that the West admits its shortcoming while others hide them and deny.

[@davidhofman5004]

I made a comment on this post, but it was deleted. Apparently you cannot disagree on Tedx talks anymore if they are on a specific subject. Welkom new fascism in 2020.

[@SoulsGuns]

😂 lmao 😂

[@mzatmaca]

Politic correctness is the new Church

[@kdavis002]

What in the world did you disagree with?

[@APR4U]

Let’s focus for a minute on what went on in Africa prior to slavery in America or the colonies.

[@edugator6]

Why?

[@kdavis002]

No.

[@charles4u1]

You hope your parents will still own the house free and clear at death

[@espchannel5262]

I can teach you bassics of telepathy

[@SoulsGuns]

Meh

[@asianhippy]

Where in America is slavery still in practice? Which schools don't teach about civil rights and slavery. You didn't mention anything about the counties that still have legal slavery. One should acknowledge the past, both good and bad. Things have changed, that is something you don't talk about. This is a bad Tedx talk.

[@amcra1]

No this is a good Ted Talk. You just clearly don’t understand what he’s talking about.

[@DrGingerHamster]

But since things have changed, and much of the issues of the past have been solved, it is only in the past that racists like this man must go to find something to use to complain about this country. It's pathetic, and sickening but it is a common tool among the -ist crowds. Can't find it today, so let's talk about hundreds of years ago.

[@DrGingerHamster]

@@amcra1 And no, it is not a good TedX talk. This man is not a 'victim' of anything. Yet he clearly believes he is.

[@amcra1]

James Von Maxwell when did he say he was a victim?

[@DrGingerHamster]

@@amcra1 The entire story was about how his relatives (due to slavery) were victims. He specifically didn't call himself a 'victim', that much is true. But I think it is fair to say he implied it throughout the video.

[@alandinhio10]

His jokes were bad. Lol besides that he makes a good point but I have to disagree with him on the masters not being good. That was the moral at the time to have slaves and if he treated them right well that is a good master. Just my point of view.

[@UniversityDemonstrationChannel]

It was not moral at the time to have slaves, that is ridiculous. Plenty of people disagreed with slavery at that time, hence the Civil War. You're too far into the side of moral relativism, just because the culture accepted it, doesn't make it moral.

[@HelloMyNameIs___________]

Anyone who felt that owning another human being was okay was not a "good" anything. There is NOTHING moral or ethical in that. Treating them right would have meant giving them their freedom, employing and paying them to work for him, not owning them like property

[@charles4u1]

When people say something was moral at the time does it mean IF those people had a time machine and went in the past they would do those things..... just saying to illustrate the mentally of making such silly statements.