Naomi Wolf

Whites as a group should formally apologize to African Americans for the enslavement of their ancestors, argues Naomi Wolf in the following viewpoint. Such an apology, she contends, would not be a declaration of personal guilt but rather a national expression of regret about a historical atrocity. She maintains that an apology for slavery would help to end America’s persistent denial about its racial problems and foster racial reconciliation. Wolf is a writer, feminist theorist, and editorial columnist.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. Where are some places in which America’s “willful amnesia” about slavery is evident, according to Wolf?
2. In the author’s opinion, what has happened as a result of the dominant culture’s denial about slavery?
3. According to Wolf, what happened during...