DeGruy presents the theory that centuries of chattel slavery, followed by ongoing racism and oppression, produced a multigenerational pattern of trauma in African American life — visible in survival behaviors, damaged self-esteem, and internalized oppression — that persists where the injury has never been collectively addressed. She pairs the diagnosis with a case for healing grounded in truth-telling, cultural strengths, and community repair. Developed from her doctoral research, the book has been widely taught and discussed in social work, education, and community settings.
Author: Joy DeGruy (published as Joy DeGruy Leary) · Original publisher: Uptone Press, Milwaukie, Oregon, 2005 (full title: *Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America's Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing*)
