Hi Arthur:

The word servant used to describe a slave was often part of the slave master’s vernacular. It dates back to ancient times.

That’s not to say that the descriptive juxtaposition of servant/ slave was or IS (in today’s vernacular) an excuse. The AAA should be criticized.

You’ll find” servant” meaning “slave” used in correspondence, advertisements, wills, legal documents. History web pages such as “Documenting the South “ and Yale’s “Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition” show some of these references.

Below is an example of a reward for Harriet Jacobs.

http://www.yale.edu/glc/harriet/15.htm

Also found at Gilder Lehrman is Frederick Douglass’ take on the word “servant”

“The term "servant" in the text means slave, and you will of consequence perceive that this is a message to you by the mouth of the Apostle; so as a preacher of the Gospel I beg you to listen to the words of wisdom.”

http://www.yale.edu/glc/archive/1066.htm

I’d suggest that you write to AAA and outline your concerns. They are not quoting from an historical text, it’s just sloppy journalism. No, let’s not brush it away as a PC error. Shame on AAA,