Editor's note: Stephen Ndegwa is a Nairobi-based communication expert, lecturer-scholar at the United States International University-Africa, author and international affairs columnist. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

One would expect an Attorney General to be one of the most level-headed bureaucrats in any country's administration. Expect, apparently, in America; at least going by the extremely controversial and uncharacteristic comments William Barr made midweek about COVID-19 measures and slavery.

Responding to a question after addressing a Constitution Day celebration in northern Virginia on September 16, Barr stated that, "You know, putting a national lockdown, stay-at-home orders, is like house arrest. It's - you know, other than slavery, which was a different kind of restraint, this is the greatest intrusion on civil liberties in American history."

Judging by his poorly calculated, shocking, and totally insensitive remarks, there is no doubt that Barr and President Donald Trump are kindred souls. To drive this point further, Barr disparaged his own staff in the Department of Justice, comparing career prosecutors to preschoolers, shooting himself in the foot.

As a bureaucrat overseeing one of the most critical departments in the U.S. justice system, Barr should have known better than make such political remarks tinged with racism. 

There is no stretch of imagination that can juxtapose the savagery and injustice of slavery to any measures against the coronavirus pandemic. It really was the ultimate insult, particularly to the millions of Africans who bore the brunt of the centuries-old colonial trade, not just in America, but globally.

How is it possible that the inhumane conditions that slaves lived under are comparable to coronavirus counter-measures like wearing a mask, social distancing, washing of hands, stay-at-home or even quarantining? It clearly shows that Barr not only has scant knowledge of this ugly part of America's history, but also is ignorant of the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Barr should actually be in the front line of bringing Americans together to fight the common enemy, rather than using occasion to divide the country further along both racial and professional lines.

Maybe in an attempt at saving his administration's face from the embarrassment of Barr's gaff, Trump slammed efforts at reviewing U.S. history as "ideological poison," saying such an initiative will dissolve the country's "civic bonds."

Trump was referring to the ongoing New York Times Magazine's "1619 Project" conceived in August 2019 that aims to reframe the conversation on America's "history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of [the United States]."

The project marks the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first slaves in the Virginia colony in 1619, which should actually be seen as America's year of birth.

Speaking on the campaign trail in Wisconsin at the U.S. National Archives, the U.S. president said his administration would instead launch "a new pro-American lesson plan for students" called the "1776 Commission." This is supposed to counter the 1619 narrative, 1776 being the year of America's Declaration of Independence.

Unfortunately for Trump, no amount of denial or deception can erase the contribution of African-Americans in the country. To his credit, however, his negation of the facts on this matter follows his trend of denying almost everything that does not suit his interests or ideology.

The contribution made by the progeny of slaves in the U.S. is indelible. Their footprints are in almost all spheres of American life, mainly sports, the arts, medicine, science and technology, politics and religion. Some inventions by African Americans that other Americans take for granted include refrigerated trucks, three-signal traffic lights, caller ID and call waiting, home security system, the mailbox and central heating furnace.

Although these may not sound fancy or revolutionary 20th century items, they are now improved conveniences that Americans can hardly do without in their everyday lives. But African Americans could have done more, were it not for institutionalized oppression.

In fact, a 2014 study by economist Lisa D. Cook attributed lower innovation by African-Americans between 1870-1940 to violence and lack of legal protection. According to Cook, "violent acts account for more than 1,100 missing patents compared to 726 actual patents among African American inventors over this period. Valuable patents decline in response to major riots and segregation laws."

Admittedly, slavery was not exclusive to the States. But an attempt to rewrite history by whitewashing its brutality and other social and economic consequences is an injustice to the societies who still bear deep and indelible scars of this trade.

Instead of engaging in mockery, Trump should really have tried to build bridges of understanding in his proposed "Patriotic Education" Commission.

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