Episode 585: The Curse of Ham

Are black people cursed? This might seem like a preposterous question. And indeed it is. The obvious answer? Of course not. People of African descent, who are so-called black, are created in the image and likeness of God just as much as every other group of people. The idea that black people are cursed by God and divinely meant to be subservient to other races is often called the “curse of Ham,” based on an incident recorded in Genesis chapter 9. Other allegations go further back, to Genesis 4, saying that the “mark of Cain,” which accompanied a curse upon Cain, was that Cain’s skin was turned black. The problem is, neither of these passages says anything at all about race or skin color. Those who say that black people are cursed by God have no biblical basis for their claims.

Additional scriptures referenced include Genesis 10:6-20; Galatians 3:28; Revelation 7:9; Exodus 21:16; Exodus 21:20; Genesis 27:37–40; 2 Samuel 14:22; Genesis 18:3; 1 Kings 9:20–21; and Genesis 4:11, 15.