Within the iconography of America, there are ghosts that will forever continue to haunt us.
But these are ghosts that we keep with us, as they are constant reminders of our grisly past — guides to keep us from repeating our history.
No other example is more notable than the dramatic and often violent past surrounding the struggle for equality pursued by black Americans.
We are ever cognizant of this past, as it is a valuable teaching tool that has become a cornerstone of the modern American education.
Every child is eventually brought up to speed with the atrocities committed against African Americans during both slavery and the Civil Rights race riots.
These are harrowing episodes that show the depth of institutionalized hatred and violent depravity, but they do not always tell the entire story.
Perhaps the most seedy, perverse yet unrecognized form of racism was the “minstrel show,” a form of comedic theatre that emerged in 19th century America.
 Through musical performances, minstrel shows caricatured blacks as unforgivably lazy, superstitious buffoons, often to the point that they lost their humanity.
What added insult to injury is that these minstrel shows were considered a national art, and often the only way African Americans were portrayed in the media.
Therefore, the line between entertainment and reality blended together, reinforcing a misconception of black culture that persisted for more than 100 years.
To my knowledge, minstrel shows do not exist today and — save for the Internet — most production companies have successfully swept old footage under the rug.
But regrettably, the weakened spirit of such entertainment lives on through various forms in modern television.
Since its 2009 debut, MTV’s Jersey Shore has exploded in popularity, essentially becoming a household brand.
Dubbed as the “hottest, tannest, craziest