Historical Trauma 

The Impact on Communities of 
Color 

TrainerÕs Guide 

 

 

 

 

 

National Resource Center for Reaching 
Underserved Victims 

Men of Color Expert Working Group 


Overview 

The use of the Men of Color (MOC) Working Group materials are 
intended to create discussion on the trauma and victimization of 
men and boys of color and ways to better serve them. It's 
important to remember your goal is to get people to talk about 
trauma, victimization, and healing as opposed to debating right or 
wrong or get hung up on how we perpetuate the problem. 
Information will be new to a lot of people while extremely basic to 
others so in these types of mixed groups the conversation 
amongst the audience provides for the best type of learning. That 
can also mean conflict. Not that it is a bad thing, because conflict 
leads to learning, but it can be if not managed well. And for 
anyone facilitating groups and/or community presentations a little 
extra assistance in focusing and honing facilitation skills is always 
useful. 

 

Learning Objectives 

¥ To understand the history of colonization and the impact on 
people of color 
¥ To understand how trauma that in the past still affects 
people of color today 
¥ To identify ways to address historical trauma in our service 
delivery 



Goals 

The goal of this training is to understand historical trauma and 
how it affects communities of color today. This presentation is 
intended to provide an overview of historical trauma and how the 
events of the past became the roots of systematic oppression 
communities of color experience today. These systematic roots 
are embedded into societal norms, institutions (i.e. education, 
courts, social services) and shape the way people of color and 
men of color are viewed and treated; it also shapes the way our 
communities are conditioned for survival. In this presentation, we 
will make connections with the past to how we function on the 
present to identify where these issues stem from and discuss 
ways to address these as well as individual trauma. 

 

Duration of Training 

This training can be from 1 hour to 1.5 hours. The facilitator can 
choose how long activities will take and if they want to present all 
slides. 

 

Intended Audience 

¥ Practitioners working with boys and men of color 

¥ Boys and men of color 

 

 


Essential Knowledge of Historical Trauma 

Historical trauma is the cumulative exposure to traumatic events 
that not only affect the individual exposed, but continue to affect 
subsequent generations. Starting in the 1960s, knowledge of 
historical trauma emerged from the stories of those who endured 
the Holocaust and its impact on subsequent generations, as well 
as the experiences of Japanese Americans placed in internment 
camps after World War II (Evans-Campbell, 2008; Sotero, 2006). 
Finding that these two groups had endured persistent mass 
trauma and that their children's mental health was affected was 
groundbreaking at that time and built the foundation for historical 
trauma research today. Currently much of the research and 
documentation is on Indigenous populations of North America 
(United States and Canada), however, we can link similarities to 
many groups across the globe who have been colonized and 
where war and religious assimilation are factors. 

 

The difference between individual trauma and historical trauma is 
that the same events continue to affect a population time and 
time again and the population as a whole are more likely to 
experience negative behavioral health outcomes, as well as 
decreases in daily functioning and quality of life. The events of 
the past became the roots of systematic oppression communities 
of color experience today and are embedded into societal norms, 
institutions (i.e. education, courts, social services) and shape the 


way people of color and men of color are viewed and treated. It 
also shapes the way our communities are conditioned for 
survival. However, we caution against assuming that every 
people in that population, Black, Jewish, or Native American, is 
affected in the same way or are adversely affected in the same 
way. 

 

When looking at the adaptive behaviors of the past needed for 
survival, we also look at how those have become maladaptive 
behaviors of today. For example, whippings from slave owners 
became a normal, or stereotypical, method of parents now 
whipping their children. When first adapted it was a way of saving 
the children from the whip and strict behaviors were expected 
and if not complied with there was harsh punishment. The intent 
was to protect but over the course of generations it became a 
parenting technique. Black children are still at risk of other forms 
of institutional racism so the strict codes of behaviors in public to 
protect them from police, courts, and being institutionalized are 
passed along but the issues are less overt and we look at issues 
like Òthe prison pipelineÓ that starts with poor educational 
systems that then link kids into juvenile detention centers, and 
later into prisons where they act as modern day slaves 
performing tasks for governments and corporations for pennies 
on the dollar. 

 


It is critical to understand that the health and wellbeing of a 
community is based on social, cultural, and economic factors. The 
impact of trauma and cumulative effects of historical trauma on 
communities of color are starting in a Òone downÓ position. In 
order to address these factors we have to understand trauma and 
create trauma-informed institutions. Institutions can be 
comprised of well-meaning and caring individuals yet without 
policies and practices that empower workers with tools and 
resources to best help deal with trauma in individuals, we will 
continue to perpetuate the systematic oppression. We have to 
acknowledge the past in order to change the future. 

 

Bibliography 

ÒAdverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)Ó 
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/acestudy/about.html 

 

ÒHow Trauma Is Carried Across Generations: Holding the secret 
history of our ancestors.Ó Molly S. Castelloe, Ph.D. Published on 
May 28, 2012 in ÒThe Me in WeÓ 

 

ÒSpotlight on CultureÓ Part one (Native American), 2013, The 
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) 

 

ÒSpotlight on CultureÓ Part two, (African American) 2013, The 


National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) 

 

ÒSpotlight on CultureÓ Part three, 2014, (Jewish, Japanese, 
Hawaiian, and API) The National Child Traumatic Stress Network 
(NCTSN) 

 

ÒSpotlight on Culture, Implementing Cultural CompetenceÓ 2014, 
the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) 

 

ÒThe school to prison pipeline, explainedÓ Libby Nelson & Dara 
Lind 2015 

 

 ÒTrauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services, a 
Treatment Improvement Protocol, Tip 57Ó Chapter 3, 
Understanding the Impact of Trauma, SAMHSA 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK207191/ 

 

ÒTrauma, Transgenerational Transfer and Effects on Community 
WellbeingÓ Judy Atkinson, Jeff Nelson and Caroline Atkinson. 

 


PRESENTER WALK-THROUGH 

 

Material: video, computer with LCD projector and screen for 
PowerPoint functions, loose leaf paper 

 

Welcome and introductions: 

When getting started naturally you want to get everyoneÕs 
attention before you welcome them and thank them for coming. 
Briefly state who you are and your connection with addressing 
trauma. Then ask each person to introduce themselves. If itÕs a 
smaller group you can add an introduction question, i.e. ÒState 
your name and what interested you about this presentation?Ó or 
one of the questions below. 

 

Alternative questions: 

¥ WhatÕs your definition of historical trauma? 
¥ What are ways do you see traumatized by things that 
happened 100s of years ago? 
¥ Why should we address historical trauma? 


Overview: 

You may read the following overview or paraphrase it using your 
own words to describe what will be covered today. 

 

ÒToday we will be talking about historical trauma and how it 


shapes the way institutions respond to communities of color. This 
presentation is intended to provide an overview of historical 
trauma and how systematic responses that were put in place 
many years ago continue to produce the same results for 
communities of color. We will also explore ways to address 
historical trauma in our personal lives and how we can dismantle 
institutions of oppression.Ó 

 

screen shot of slide 1: Title slide, Historical Trauma

screen shot of slide 2: Workshop Objective

screen shot of slide 3: Historical Intergenerational Trauma 


Beginning with a definition of historical intergenerational trauma 
will ground the audience. As the presenter, if you have a personal 
way of talking about historical intergenerational trauma, use your 
own anecdote or definition instead of reading this slide verbatim. 
ItÕs more powerful for you to explain how you identify or connect 
with it. 

 


screen shot of slide 4: Colonization Chart 


This chart is an illustration of various events that occur after 
colonization started impacting groups of people around the globe, 
those impacted groups started to lose connection with their 
lifestyle and mobility became harder. The presenter can do a 
quick review of this chart or give time for audience members to 
glance at it. Make a connection to the notion that once you start 
losing one thing, you start losing other things. 

 


screen shot of slide 5: Impact of War Chart
This is another chart illustrating the impact of war. It can help 
explain the violence and maladaptive behavior we see today in 
communities. Historically, violence against women and sexual 
assault as rampant in war, when you wanted to annihilate a 
community you targeted the women. The aftermath of war, if 
youÕre a refugee, survivor, or youÕve assimilated, is grief 

and loss that directly and indirectly leads to a current state of 
economic disadvantage, experience of regret, feeling hurt, family 
conflict, and social exclusion as illustrated in the chart. One 
example of a direct result of war is native people who after war 
no longer had control of their land, and how this affected their 


lifestyle and livelihood. Indirect results show how it has affected 
groups and individuals emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. 

screen shot of slide 6: How Do These Affect 


We want to ask the audience to provide examples for each group. 

Articles contained in the bibliography provide examples in the 
event that audience members are unable to provide examples. 

 


screen shot of slide 7: Manifestations May Include
This is a list of manifestations of historical intergenerational 
trauma, including perceptions of institutions, coping behaviors, 
result of stressors, and perpetuation of learned behavior. 

 


screen shot of slide 8: Historical Trauma 


Historical trauma is not a personal trauma history, itÕs a collective 
one that spans multiple generations. 

 


screen shot of slide 9: Trauma Subtypes 


Each bullet point is an explanation for the next. Cultural trauma 
(ex: Holocaust) explains historical trauma, which explains 
intergenerational trauma, and then its manifestations in present 
day trauma. 

 

ÒI cannot be healed until my community is healed because each 
time something happens like a police shooting or another child 
murdered it re- triggers and reminds me of all the times that its 
happened in the past.Ó 

 


screen shot of slide 10: Trauma may result from 


When we examine certain behaviors of irresponsibility and 
disobedience in youth like drinking, partying, or skipping school, 
we blame them for those things and arenÕt understanding why 
the are doing these things. There is a reason for their behavior, 
and itÕs a coping mechanism for the violence they experienced 
collectively, and as they transition into adults it doesnÕt change 
and remains unaddressed. 

 

Not everyone is affected by historical trauma in the same way or 
understands it in the same way. 


screen shot of slide 11: Some cautions about the concept
Here we make a connection between history and present- day 
symptoms/behavior. 


screen shot of slide 12: Sometimes Violence was used as a protective factor 


Parents issue corporal punishment to their kids directly, in order 
to discipline, so they are not punished outside of the household 
where more is at stake. This is a Òsign of loveÓ because the 
parent is doing it for the childÕs own good. This is linked back to 
historical trauma, corporeal punishment was done for survival. 

 


screen shot of slide 13: individual and social pathology 

screen shot of slide 14: History over pathology
There is no need to carry out certain actions anymore, ones we 
consider maladaptive, because they are no longer necessary for 
survival, we are beyond that point. However, the behavior till 
exists and itÕs done because now itÕs traditional. 

 


screen shot of slide 15: What's the impact on us today? 


This activity can be down with the entire round table or in small 
groups of 4-6. Go through each column and have a conversation 
about how historical trauma impacts them today. 

 

We want to start to link how historical trauma has shaped the 
way you do things. An example: ÒBecause of colonization, I donÕt 
feel like I got a fair education because the history of my people 
isnÕt represented in the text books.Ó 

 


screen shot of slide 16: history is not in the past
Here is a list of quotes that are often heard. 

 

Discussion Questions: 

¥ Why is it this way? 
¥ Why do people say these things? 
¥ What is your reaction when you hear these things as a 
person of color? 


 

The disenfranchisement of communities of color due to racism is 
now built into the fabric of institutions: education, medical, 
political, and judicial. If you have a good stable upbringing you 


have less anxiety and stress, when you donÕt know what youÕre 
going to eat daily or are in a precarious housing situation, etc, 
your life focus differs dramatically from those who do have stable 
housing, income to pay for college, and reliable transportation. 

 

screen shot of slide 17: trauma affects where we start
Discussion question: 

How does this affect those who can assimilate in the mainstream 
and those who cannot? 

 


screen shot of slide 18: ACEs: the 10 areas of trauma 


Adverse Childhood Experiences (article in bibliography) It shows 
how the more of these experiences a child has, the higher levels 
of trauma and more challenges theyÕll have throughout their 
lifetime. This can be presented as a discussion or activity. 
Everyone can count how many they experienced in childhood. 

 


screen shot of slide 19: trickle down affect 


Here we see the Trickle Down Affect which explains how trauma 
starts to become historical and intergenerational. Environmental 
influences / external stressors begin to shape a personÕs physical 
appearance and behavior. State violence, the war on drugs, and 
hyper- policing have shaped the way boys and men of color 
interact within society, and has exacerbated interpersonal 
violence. 

 

Knowing this information can explain certain behavior. It can 
explain why a young black man whose just been shot comes into 
the emergency room chooses not to talk to hospital staff or the 


cops about the event. It is his recent history of being targeted 
and abused by police that has influenced the way he responds in 
this setting, but also because of how such institutions have 
historically treated his community. In this instance, his personal 
justice and safety is set aside to protect himself and his 
community from the institution. 

 

screen shot of slide 20: Institutional responses
Institutions are set up to manage large volumes of people. 

Their efficiency is based largely on specialization (DMV, criminal 
court, civil court, family court, all the separate departments of 
social services, and community based human services like 


domestic violence shelters, fatherhood programs, etc.) and their 
effectiveness is largely based on producing the same outcome no 
matter who comes into the program. The challenges with 
Òevidence-based practicesÓ is that institutional practice becomes 
static, and must remain static in order to maintain model fidelity 
to prove the practice is successful. The cost of this is depriving 
the individual the opportunity to gain help with acquiring needs 
unaddressed in that model. 

 

screen shot of slide 21: Principles of trauma-informed care 


Trauma Informed Care: how institutions account for trauma of 


victims and works to undo systematic barriers that further 
disenfranchises them. 

 

This chart names the ways institutions are building policy and 
responsiveness: safety, trustworthiness and transparency, peer 
support, cultural historical and gender issues, empowerment, 
voice, and choice, and collaborations and mutuality. 

 

screen shot of slide 22: addressing historical trauma, the spiral model
Process for addressing Historical Trauma: 

1: Start with PeopleÕs Experience 

What are the experiences or realities of boys and men of color? 


2: Look for Patterns 

What are patterns in responses to them and their responses to 
you? When you hear a statement like Òthey alwaysÓ coming from 
a co-worker or white person, or Òyou alwaysÓ coming from 
boys/men of color those are indicators of a common enough 
occurrence to be a pattern. 

 

3: Add New Information and Theory 

Take and apply what you have heard today into your strategy. 

 

4: Practice Skills, Strategize, and Plan for Action. 

Where are the specific places where you enhance skills, policies, 
or work effort? 

 

5: Apply in Action 

Deepen your understanding of historical trauma as you apply 
action. Change may not always be easy or successful. 

 


screen shot of slide 23: conclusion
Closing 

Thank participants for attending and sharing their thoughts and 
ideas. Ask people if they have anything they would like to say or 
comments about the training overall. We recommend having 
some type of closing activity like a circle, song, or prayer to end 
on a positive note and send people off in a good way.