It appears that the present-day form of African American English is not the inheritance of the period of slavery, but the creation of the second half of the 20th century.
“Character is better than ancestry, and personal conduct is of more importance than the highest.”
“In terms of the idea of long-term occupation - I have been reading a little bit more about this period - and you can see in that occupation are many lessons for the current occupation of Iraq. So we have these connections that go way back that people aren't aware of.”