This book challenges much of what we, as Americans, think about Race and Racism in our Nation. The true, often untold and unknown, history of slavery and the mutual experience we all shared as Americans is revealed in a manner that unites the races rather than divides. Rather than blame and guilt, the book explains why we all should appreciate the struggle each race made together in founding the United States of America. The author, also, identifies an insidious verbal description, that most of us use often in our discussion about one another, that makes it impossible for us to come together as a united citizenry. Suggestions to resolve many of our problems relating to race relations are offered in this thoughtful and constructive commentary. Did you know that the first official slave owner in Colonial America was a "Black" African? Did you know that there were many "Black" slave owners in early America up until the time of the Civil War? Did you know that there were many "White" slaves that came from Europe? Did you know that Slavery still exists today in some countries? These are some of the surprising facts the author discovered while researching racism and race relations in early America through today. When his teenage granddaughter mentioned that she did not like a group of people with a certain skin color, the author decided to respond to her with a letter against racism. After looking deeper into the subject, he realized that the true facts and the current perception of the facts were different. He came to feel that he had been misinformed over the years and misled by the general consensus regarding what actually occurred from the time of the initial settling of the Colonies until the Civil War regarding slavery. The letter evolved into this "Commentary" regarding racism and race relations. He came to the conclusion that we, as a Nation, cannot resolve our racial divisions until the real truth is known and realized by all American citizens. He states that, "Hidden in the actual truth is the resolution for the animosity and resentment that separates us as a united people." The author provides informative insight into how racism is maintained in a manner that affects almost all American citizens today and how we can join together to resolve what he calls this "racialist affliction" that grips our Nation. Reasons for alarm are cited and solutions are suggested in this challenging but refreshing commentary about the very difficult issue of racism and race relations in America. -- Ray Bennett