From Africa to America, Visual Reflections on the African Diaspora will examine various aspects of diasporic history to illustrate its rich infusion into contemporary art, thought, culture, and spirituality. Rooted in the history of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, the formation of a distinct African American heritage is based on the early migration and forced introduction to the “New World.” Although this institution of disempowerment and oppression greatly restricted the ability of enslaved Africans in America and the Caribbean, many traditions, practices, values and belief systems abound regardless and over time, have coalesced into a distinct African American culture. The result is a vibrant ethos that has retained a unique identity while, at the same time, has had a profound impact on society and continues to affect and define mainstream American culture and the world beyond.